“It’s a bittersweet moment” – Jackie Buntan comes to terms with her mentor and friend Janet Todd’s retirement fight 

No one is more emotional to see Janet Todd hang up her gloves this week than friend and teammate Jackie Buntan.

The reigning kickboxing queen Janet ‘JT’ Todd is set to call it a career on Friday following her unification bout against interim champion Phejeeja Lukjaoporongtom at ONE Fight Nights 20.

The American trailblazer will say goodbye to a 15-year career after having dominated the Muay Thai and kickboxing rankings of the largest martial arts organization in the world.

Boxing Works training partner and close friend to Todd, Jackie Buntan, will also make an appearance on ‘JT’s’ final fight card to face Italy’s Martine Micheletto in a potential world title eliminator bout for the ONE strawweight Muay Thai world title.

Since this will be the last hurrah for Todd, Buntan admitted feeling an array of different emotions about Todd’s pending retirement. But more than anything else, she feels proud about the legacy ‘JT’ leaves behind for the future of women's sports.

“Janet retiring is a bunch of feelings,” she told ONE. “It’s emotional, happy, sad, proud. Everything really. It’s almost as if it’s the end of an era, but not really, because she’s solidified her name in the world of Muay Thai, especially for the females and for the U.S. athletes. And that won’t be forgotten. So, it’s a bittersweet moment, but it’s a moment that comes for everyone.”

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Jackie Buntan feeling confident ahead of her next bout knowing Janet Todd is in her corner

Jackie Buntan feels confident that she’ll get the win over Martine Michieletto after training with Janet Todd in preparation for this fight.

The Filipino-American stalwart is known for putting on great fights. Many remember Buntan’s quick KO finish over Diandra Martin in Colorado at ONE Fight Night 10.

She made a massive impression on her American fans that day. So, she hopes to keep the momentum going by incorporating everything she’s learned from her mentor, Janet Todd, and use the skills to her advantage.

She told ONE

“I’m very confident in my smarts, my technicality, my power, and my adaptability. But all of this always goes back to Bryan as well with his game plans and with Janet’s past kickboxing fights. So I think it all comes together with them two in my corner.”

ONE Fight Night 20 will air live on US Primetime on March 8, free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.