Exclusive | ONE Championship: Janet Todd tests positive for Covid, Allycia Rodrigues title fight off Prime Video 5 card
- American will not take part at press conference in Manila, source says; atomweight Muay Thai title unification clash to be rebooked
- ONE on Prime Video 5 event at the Mall of Asia Arena takes another big hit, after the postponement of Superbon vs Chingiz Allazov
Janet Todd has tested positive for Covid-19, the Post has learned, with Saturday’s ONE Championship atomweight Muay Thai title unification fight against Allycia Rodrigues in Manila scratched.
The bout was set to feature as the co-main event of the ONE on Prime Video 5 event at the Mall of Asia Arena. But interim champion Todd will now be unable to compete.
A source told the Post 36-year-old American Todd has no symptoms, and is feeling fine, but she has been taken off Wednesday’s press conference at the Solaire Casino and Hotel Resort.
“I feel great. I feel energised, I feel ready to go,” Todd had said at Tuesday’s media day.
“This is my first time in Manila so I’m really excited. I’m excited to put on a show from the Filipino fans. I don’t remember what it’s like to have a crowd, but I do remember when I come out I can feel the energy.”
“Allycia’s a very technical fighter. I’m ready to bring it, we’re brining the fireworks,” Todd added.
Martial arts promotion ONE will look to rebook the fight on a future card, the source said. No fights will be added as replacements to the Prime Video 5 card, which now stands at 9 bouts.
Todd’s head coach Brian Popejoy of Boxing Works in California, and Rodrigues’ coach Leo Elias of Phuket Fight Club, both told the Post at Wednesday’s press conference they are hoping to reschedule the fight as soon as possible.
Todd versus Rodrigues is the second big bout to fall off the ONE on Prime Video 5 event in the space of several days.
Superbon’s featherweight kickboxing title defence against Chingiz Allazov was moved to January’s Prime Video 6 event in Bangkok. Thailand’s Superbon could not compete this week because he ALso tested positive for Covid-19.
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Divisional champion Rodrigues of Brazil was set to make the first defence of her title, in what would have been her first fight since August 2020, having taken time off to give birth to her first child last year.
“I feel really great for the fight. I’m training good, my weight is normal already, and I feel perfect,” Rodrigues told the Post on Tuesday. “I feel much more motivated now because I have my son and I want him to be proud of me. I want to inspire him when he becomes bigger and can see me fight.
“Janet is a great fighter. I think it’s a good fight for me. I’m ready and I’ve come here to keep the belt with us.
“Janet has good hands, good boxing. But I’ve had many tough fights already in Thailand, so I don’t think this will be a problem. It will be a hard fight but I’ll be OK.”
