Jackie Buntan warns Lara Fernandez of faster, trickier Janet Todd

ONE Muay Thai strawweight Jackie Buntan, the chief training partner of Janet ‘JT’ Todd, warned Lara Fernandez that Todd, the reigning ONE atomweight kickboxing world champion, has only become faster and trickier since the last time she was seen in the circle.

Jackie Buntan and Janet Todd are both training partners at Boxing Works, one of the leading martial arts gyms in California. The Filipina-American striker had nothing but high praise for her teammate.

She told ONE in an exclusive interview:

“I think she's gotten sharper. And that's with everything -- that's her offense, her defense, her vision.”

“You know, we're big on drilling at Boxing Works. She hasn't been able to fight for over a year, so the closest thing she can get, really, is sparring. She surprises me every time. She has new tricks, even if she's not throwing anything insanely technical or tricky. It's just basic, she's just faster. Her reaction time is quicker.”

After nearly a year away from the circle, Todd prepares ready to claim the second ONE world title of her career. She faces Lara ‘Pizza Power’ Fernandez, a powerful and dynamic Muay Thai striker, who will make her first appearance under the bright lights of ONE Championship.

Fernandez is already a WBC Muay Thai world champion and ISKA K1 world champion, and she brings a new generation of Muay Thai skill sets and knowledge into the foray. However, she hasn’t faced anyone quite like the fiery, technical Janet Todd.

Lara Fernandez will have her work cut out for her when she faces the improved champion on July 22 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

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Jackie Buntan "taking care of the weapons" in recent Instagram video

Before another rigorous training session at the gym, Jackie Buntan makes sure to put her health first by "taking care of her weapons."

The Filipina-American shared the following post, detailing her self-care routine, with fans on Instagram:

In the clip, Buntan maintains her health by working out her thoracic spine with a couple of exercises. She is seen doing drills with a medicine ball and overhead presses. These types of workouts help improve mobility and maintain a healthy posture.

According to Heathline, if the spine is not properly taken care of, it can reduce mobility and increase neck and lower back stiffness, which can limit one’s breathing capacity.

For a supremely conditioned athlete like Jackie Buntan who is constantly training and fighting for long periods at a time, it's essential to perform these drills in order to strengthen the body and lessen the risk of injuries.