'%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)
Janet Todd is on the cusp of becoming one of only six people to win two belts in ONE Championship. The American is the reigning ONE atomweight kickboxing champion, and on July 22nd she'll challenge Lara Fernandez for the ONE interim atomweight Muay Thai title as well.
Fernandez is a multi-time world champion and signed with the promotion last month. The Spaniard is part of an influx of world-class striking talent that has joined ONE in the last few years with the promotion amassing stacked divisions featuring the creme de la creme of Muay Thai and kickboxing.
Most fans would equate the 'golden era' of Muay Thai to the early-1980s to mid-1990s. For kickboxing, it would be the early 00's until 2010 - the K-1 World MAX era.
ONE Championship became home to many of the legends from that time, from the now-retired Andy Souwer and John Wayne Parr, to Giorgio Petrosyan and even commentator Michael Schiavello. The promotion has arguably taken things a step further by nurturing female icons like Stamp Fairtex, Anissa Meksen, and Janet Todd herself.
In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA on whether the organization is forging its own 'golden era' of striking, Janet Todd said:
"Yeah, I think we're all raising the level of competition. I think ONE is definitely bringing in the best fighters in each weight division and having these really great match-ups to really grow the sport."
In addition to its established stars, ONE also boasts an exciting new generation of talent like Smilla Sundell, who beat Janet Todd's teammate Jackie Buntan in April. The 17 year old won the ONE Women's Strawweight Muay Thai World Title to become the youngest-ever world champion in the sport.
Janet Todd says experience will be an advantage against debutant Fernandez
'JT' has stacked up an impressive six-fight winning streak inside the ONE circle with three of those wins coming by way of knockout.
"I'd like to keep the momentum going. I've had more experience in ONE Championship so I think that gives me a bit of an advantage to know what to expect. Not just for the fight, but for the week leading up to the fight."
Fernandez won the WBC flyweight Muay Thai title in 2020 and is 11 years younger than the Californian. Nevertheless, Todd has already proven herself to be one of the most formidable competitors in the organisation, so much so that she was awarded the 2021 ONE Super Series 'Female Fighter of the Year' award.
If she's victorious next month, then she will surely cement her legacy as one of the greatest female fighters of 'the new golden era.'
Watch the full interview below:
