ONE Championship 159: Janet Todd believes it’s ‘time for a tournament’ in atomweight Muay Thai or kickboxing divisions
- Todd will battle Spain’s Lara Fernandez for interim atomweight Muay Thai gold at ONE 159 on Friday in Singapore
- American, who holds ONE’s atomweight kickboxing title, believes there are ‘some exciting matchups’ to be made in both sports
Janet Todd believes it might be time for a Grand Prix tournament in ONE Championship’s atomweight Muay Thai or kickboxing divisions.
The 36-year-old American is ONE’s reigning atomweight kickboxing queen, and also competes in Muay Thai. The promotion is home to a number of other atomweight stars who compete in both sports, including Algerian-French juggernaut Anissa Meksen, Thailand’s Stamp Fairtex, and Brazil’s Allycia Helen Rodrigues, who holds the undisputed atomweight strap.
Todd suspects she and her peers could fill out an exciting Grand Prix tournament in either sport.
“We’ve got a really strong division, so maybe it’s time for a tournament,” Todd said in a pre-fight interview on Tuesday.
Before Todd can commit to a tournament, she will need to get by Spain’s Lara Fernandez, whom she will battle for interim Muay Thai gold in the co-main event of ONE 159 this Friday in Singapore.
The fight will be Fernandez’s first in ONE, but Todd is expecting a tough test.
“ONE Championship always finds the top fighters and signs them, so I think she’ll be a great opponent,” she said. “I know she likes to come forward and likes to throw volume.