“It’s a bittersweet moment” - Jackie Buntan says retiring Janet Todd helped carve a path for female fighters in the US

Jackie Buntan believes Janet Todd will leave female combat sports in a better way than when she first started.

The reigning ONE atomweight kickboxing world champion could be fighting the last match of her career when she faces interim world champion Phetjeeja in a world title unification match in the main event of ONE Fight Night 20.

Buntan, the training partner of Todd at Boxing Works, will also be on the card when she faces Martine Michieletto in a catchweight (130 lbs) Muay Thai bout on Friday at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Ahead of her close friend’s possible retirement, Buntan said Todd has left a lasting legacy for female fighters in the United States to follow.

Jackie Buntan told ONE Championship in an interview:

“I don't know, a bunch of feelings. It's I guess emotional at that. You know, 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, 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.”

Todd carved out a phenomenal career in ONE Championship that included two world titles and seven victories in the promotion.

‘JT’ captured her first gold when she beat Stamp Fairtex for the ONE atomweight kickboxing world title in February 2020.

She became a double-champ when she dominated Lara Fernandez for the ONE interim atomweight Muay Thai world championship in July 2022.

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Jackie Buntan recalls the first time she met Janet Todd

Jackie Buntan and Janet Todd are two kindred spirits despite their 12-year age difference.

Todd is 38 while Buntan is 26, and things started as someone would expect from two friends belonging to two different generations.

In the same interview, Buntan recalled the first time she saw Todd training at Boxing Works in their home gym in California.

“The first time I met Janet. I was so young. I think I was still in high school, maybe like a freshman at the time. We were training in the same class. But yeah, that was so, so long ago. It’s actually crazy to think about.”

She added:

“I was really just training with grown men, older men. She came along with crazy techniques, a great partner to work with. So it was actually super nice, super refreshing. I was kind of excited to finally have a female of the same size, better skill too, to be working with on a daily basis.”

ONE Fight Night 20 is an all-female card in celebration of International Women’s Day. The entire card is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.