'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion Jackie Buntan has not competed since winning the title last November. She, however, said it is by design to give her time to soak in everything and give her a better perspective on how to go about things moving forward.
The 27-year-old Boxing Works standout opened up about it in an interview with ONE Championship, highlighting she needed to step back and assess where she is at in her career.
Buntan said:
"I'm guilty of dreaming and hoping for one thing, and then it comes to fruition, and then quickly I'm like, "What's next?" I kind of felt that way after winning the kickboxing belt, but I had to take a step back and give myself the flowers and really enjoy this time and all the work I put into it."
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
In becoming kickboxing queen, Jackie Buntan had to dig deep against veteran striker Anissa Meksen for the inaugural belt at ONE 169 last November in Bangkok, Thailand. Making full use of her crack boxing skills, she was able to hold sway for much of the five-round championship match on her way to the convincing decision win.
The victory also stretched her current winning streak to four straight fights and improved to a 7-1 record in ONE Championship.
Jackie Buntan says title win erases the self-doubt she had
More than just becoming ONE world champion, the win at ONE 169 cast aside all the self-doubt Jackie Buntan had about the martial arts journey she has taken.
She shared it in the same interview with ONE Championship, admitting that while she was already gaining steady success even before she became world champion, the title win only solidified for her the belief that she was on the right path about her career.
Buntan said:
"It solidified everything for me. There were many times where I had so much doubt about pursuing this path of being a professional athlete, especially in combat sports. But after winning the belt, it just kind of solidified like, "OK, those doubts can all go to rest."
Armed with fortified self-belief, Buntan said she is looking forward to achieving more success, including becoming a two-sport champion by claiming the vacant ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world title when the opportunity presents itself.
