ONE Championship: “I truly understand that struggle” - Strawweight kickboxing queen Jackie Buntan credits rough amateur days for shaping her career

Reigning and undisputed ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion Jackie Buntan of the United States and the Philippines believes her journey to the top of the food chain wasn't an easy one.

The 27-year-old Filipina-American superstar looked back on her early career in the world's largest martial arts organization with a deep appreciation for the tough challenges she has had to face.

Particularly, Buntan points to her tough amateur start for molding her into the fighter she is today.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Buntan expressed gratitude for her journey.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

The Boxing Works representative said:

"My amateur days, my younger days are what helped me get to where I’m at today, and I truly understand that struggle."

Needless to say, Buntan has proven to be one of the most resilient fighters in ONE Championship, who found her way to a world title.

The Filipino-American fighter today is considered the best strawweight kickboxer on the planet.

Jackie Buntan credits former champ Janet Todd for trailblazing path for Muay Thai in the U.S.

Amidst all of her immense success, Jackie Buntan still gives credit where she believes it's due.

The 27-year-old never hesitates to thank former atomweight kickboxing queen Janet Todd, her teammate at Boxing Works, for all the amazing feats she has achieved in ONE Championship.

She said of Todd:

"My training partner, my good friend Janet Todd, is like a pioneer in that – not just for women, but in American Muay Thai in general – opening up the doors in this generation."

Buntan and Todd have trained together for years and have now achieved similar success on ONE Championship's global stage.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Jackie Buntan's next fight.

About the author

Dan is an MMA writer with 10+ years of overall experience. Before his ongoing tenure at Sportskeeda, Dan got the opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport by contributing to ONE Championship and Fight Game Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Dan’s connection to MMA started during the early days of the UFC and ONE Championship. He previously practiced boxing and ranks Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Fedor Emelianenko as the top five MMA fighters of all time.

He has covered several events onsite and on the ground for ONE Championship and hopes to continue doing so. He ensures that he churns out accurate articles by citing only legitimate sources and getting firsthand accounts through exclusive interviews whenever required.

Dan feels MMA fighter pay seems like an issue because it often gets compared to what fighters earn in boxing but that MMA will eventually catch up in the future.

His other interests include soccer and video games.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by C. Naik