Hawaii’s Lee to defend title against Huang in Thailand
By CHRIS LINES | AP Sports Writer
BANGKOK (AP) — Hawaiian Angela Lee will defend her women’s atomweight title against Taiwan’s Jenny Huang when ONE Championship hosts its second mixed martial arts promotion in Thailand March 11.
The 20-year-old Canadian-born Lee improved her perfect career record to six wins when she won the title in a unanimous decision against Mei Yamaguchi in May last year. The fight in Bangkok will be her first defense.
“I had back to back fights leading up to the title fight, and after I won the belt I took some time off,” Lee said. “The goal for 2017 is to be an active champion and to stay busy.
“Since my last fight, I’ve been training extremely hard, improving my skill set and I can’t wait to show everyone.”
Huang also has a perfect record, winning her fifth fight against April Osenio by submission last month.
Five years older than Lee, Huang was later to start her MMA career than her upcoming opponent.
“I have been working so hard to come to this point in my career, and now that I’m finally here it all feels very surreal to me,” Huang said.
“Inside the cage I only have one goal and that’s to win this bout at any cost. She better be prepared for what I bring to the table because I will go to battle with my full arsenal.”
The event in Bangkok will be ONE’s second promotion in Thailand after the inaugural event in May last year. ONE has an expanded schedule this year, including five fight nights in China and a first in Vietnam.
The first event of the year will be in Jakarta this month. Marcin Prachnio has withdrawn from the middleweight title fight against Vitaly Bigdash due to injury and will be replaced by Aung La N Sang of Myanmar. Russia’s Bigdash will be making the first defense of the title he won back in 2015.
