ONE atom weight champion Angela Lee got into a heated debate with a Filipino reporter who suggested that she should have given up her title during her pregnancy “vacation.”
The ONE Championship atom weight queen then became angry when the reporter said “real champions” defend their belts once or twice a year.
The reporter pointed to her brother ONE lightweight champion Christian Lee who was also on the virtual media call on Wednesday (8 September).
Angela Lee Angry After Reporter Suggests She Should Have Given Up Her Title While Pregnant
Image source: Instagram / angelaleemma
The Filipino reporter also implied that Angela Lee had taken a “two-year vacation” because she is the “poster girl” of the Asia-based promotion.
As per the South China Morning Post, Lee struck back saying, “Well, I disagree with that. First of all, these aren’t normal times. There’s a global pandemic going on, which has made it difficult to host a lot of events. It’s been hard for everyone around the world.”
“Second of all, I do think what Chatri [Sityodtong, ONE chairman and CEO] did made a statement for everyone. It’s not because I’m the poster girl,” she adds.
Angela Lee went on to say that “this is just a given right” and she worked hard to get to the position she is currently at. She believes she shouldn’t be stripped of the title she worked so hard towards just because she got pregnant and wanted to have a baby, she added.
“I think ONE Championship has showed this is kind of what the standard should be. A woman gets pregnant in her work, she’s supported and she has a job to come back to afterward[s],” said Lee.
She further added, “I think I’m very lucky, of course, and I know it’s going to come with a lot of criticism and hate but I know how hard I worked for this, and I’m not just going to have that taken from me.”
Reporter Asks Lee If She Has Considered “Taking The High Road”
Image source: Instagram / angelaleemma
Angela Lee had a dramatic fight with a fifth-round submission victory over Chinese strawweight champion Xiong Jingnan. This was to defend her atom weight belt at Tokyo’s Century card in October 2019.
During last year’s October, Filipino fans reacted angrily when No 1 contender Denice Zamboanga had her scheduled title shot due to Lee’s pregnancy. She called on Lee to “do the right thing” and vacate her title.
But Zamboanga had to settle for a place in the atom weight grand prix where she lost in the quarter-finals to Ham Seo-Hee. This prix is an eight-woman tournament to determine the next challenger for the belt.
The media member from the Philippines outlet GMA News continued to ask Angela Lee if she has ever considered “taking the high road” and vacating her title.
Lee answered by saying, “And who would fight for it? Denice is the so-called number one contender. Who would she fight? There was no one else in the division. There was an atomweight grand prix that was supposed to be happening, and it was planned before I even announced I was pregnant. Who would she fight? I think it’s ridiculous.”
“If I was stripped of my title and there was going to be an interim championship, who would Denice fight? I don’t think that you or me have a say in what this organisation does. So let’s leave it up to the people who actually run the company,” she added.
Lead image source from Instagram / angelaleemma.
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