“I wanted to come forward and I did” - Jackie Buntan happy with performance against Martine Michieletto

ONE strawweight Muay Thai contender Jackie Buntan knew she had to be the aggressor against her trigger-happy opponent Martine Michieletto at ONE Fight Night 20 last Friday.

After all, it’s unwise to be a sitting duck against the dangerous Italian slugger, given her well-rounded abilities in ‘The Art of Eight Limbs’. Using her relentless drive to push the pedal to the metal for three rounds, Buntan eked out a close unanimous decision victory after a violent three-round war.

Buntan, who stretched her winning streak to three, shared what the game plan was in her in-ring interview at Lumpinee Stadium.

“So round 2 and 3 just had to adjust. I told you I wanted to come forward and I did, but just adjusting with the little shots just to get things going, get a rhythm.”

Jackie Buntan tried to set the tone early but found herself getting clipped on the end of her combinations by the crafty Michieletto.

The Filipino-American, though, found a home for her signature left hooks in rounds two and three, which were no doubt the most significant strikes of the thrilling match.

Rewatch Jackie Buntan’s stellar performance at ONE Fight Night 20. The replay of this all-women's card is free on demand for existing Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

Jackie Buntan appears ready for long-awaited Smilla Sundell rematch

Martine Michieletto won her last 15 bouts heading into this showdown, making Buntan’s stellar victory even more impressive.

The Boxing Works standout has grown leaps and bounds since her first setback against reigning strawweight Muay Thai queen Smilla Sundell. Since then, Buntan has shown growth in her remarkable performances over Amber Kitchen, Diandra Martin, and now, against ‘The Italian Queen’ Michieletto.

Needless to say, there’s no one more deserving of a shot against Sundell other than Buntan.