Julie Mezabarba expects a tight battle against Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga when she crosses paths with the Filipina star at ONE Fight Night 9: Nong-O vs. Haggerty. The Brazilian views her foe’s all-around attributes as her strongest trait that has helped her pick up four wins over tough opponents throughout her time at ONE Championship.
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However, the Rio de Janeiro native remains confident in her own abilities to take out the #3-ranked atomweight contender at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this Friday, April 21.
The superior boxing of Julie Mezabarba is expected to give her an edge
In her eyes, the RD Champions-trained fighter believes her punching power and precision will carry her to victory that evening. The 30-year-old told ONE, “I have a lot of confidence in my boxing, and I predict that this will be the big difference in this fight. I will impose my game from start to finish, always looking for the best domain to come out with the victory.”
The pair have produced constant firefights throughout their tenure at the Singapore-based promotion. As a result, Mezabarba knows that their pivotal atomweight showdown will be more or less the same. For her part, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt wants a second promotional win to catapult her into the divisional rankings. Besides, her motivation is at an all-time high after a pair of narrow defeats in her recent outings.
The RD Champions representative dropped a unanimous decision to #1-ranked atomweight contender Stamp Fairtex in the semifinal of the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix at ONE: NEXTGEN in October 2021.
Julie Mezabarba was free of any pressure prior to her bout
Upon her return to the Circle eight months later, Mezabarba slipped to a split decision defeat to Jenely “The Graceful” Olsim. Despite the bitter taste of those defeats, the atomweight fighter knows she belongs among the division’s elite, which is exactly why she isn’t stressed heading into her clash with Zamboanga.
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She added, “I don’t feel pressure ahead of my next fight. I don’t see myself like that because I know my potential. I don’t see myself with the rope around my neck because I’ve always given my best to the fans and the organization.”