MANILA, Philippines -- Filipina fighter Denice Zamboanga, the top-ranked atomweight in ONE Championship, is rooting for her former training partner who fights at ONE: Fists of Fury next week.

Nat "Wondergirl" Jaroonsak of Thailand will be featured on the card as she battles Filipino-American striker Jackie Buntan in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai match.

Zamboanga previously trained with Wondergirl at the Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand, and formed a close bond.

"I'm super excited for this fight. I always enjoy Nat fighting, she's such an exciting fighter. I will always support her," said Zamboanga, who used to be roommates with Jaroonsak.

"We would always share love and food stories, good fun times. She's my food buddy and Thai teacher, I love her. I miss spending time with her and Stamp [Fairtex]," she added.

A two-time Thailand Muay Thai champion, Jaroonsak has emerged as a rising star in ONE Championship. She joined the ONE Super Series in mid-2020 and has since racked up two impressive finishes in the ONE Circle.

While Zamboanga believes the fight with Buntan will be competitive, she also expects her good friend to be triumphant.

"Wondergirl is a very strong and very dedicated fighter. Her work ethic is exemplary. She always comes into camp motivated. As a fighter, she's long and athletic, and packs a lot of power," said Zamboanga.

"I have to go with Wondergirl on this one," she added.

"I know she's constantly improving every aspect of her game in every camp. I know her hard work and dedication. Her opponent seems to be also very good, so let's just see what happens in this fight. It's going to be a good one," she also said.

ONE: Fists of Fury is scheduled for February 26, to be aired live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The event is headlined by a ONE flyweight kickboxing world championship showdown between reigning title holder Ilias Ennahachi and No. 2-ranked contender "The Kicking Machine" Superlek Kiatmoo9.

Also on the card is kickboxing legend Giorgio Petrosyan, ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang "The Iron Man"Jitmuangnon, and the debut of rising teenage star Victoria "The Prodigy" Lee.

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