“It’s a Dream Come True” – Janet Todd Ready to Seize Muay Thai World Title After Four-Year Wait

Published 03/15/2023, 7:30 AM EDT

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In a little over a week, Janet ‘JT’ Todd could finally lay her hands on the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title – a belt she’s been aiming for since she made her debut bow in ONE Championship in February 2019. 

The four-year wait has been filled with tribulations. Injuries, postponements, and COVID-19 forced her shot at the coveted crown back again and again.

Those delays didn’t slow her progress in the Singapore-based promotion, however. 

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The American star captured the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing and Interim Muay Thai World Titles over that time. She has also established herself as a dominant force inside the Circle.  ‘JT’ expressed her delight at getting back into the thick of the action.

Janet Todd is stoked to get back into action

Todd will be looking to cap off her seven-fight streak and snatch the divisional throne once and for all when she takes on Allycia Hellen Rodrigues in a World title unification bout at ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video next Friday, March 24. 

With a victory, “JT” can join the short list of athletes who’ve held belts in two sports simultaneously in ONE.

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Speaking on her upcoming co-main event bout, the Boxing Works representative said:

“Oh man, it’s been four years in the making now. And the fact that I had to wait again for another three months. Yeah, it’s been something I’ve wanted for a really long time. So, I’m really looking forward to it. And it’s a dream come true. It’s something that I have wanted for four years.”

While other athletes may have hit career lows during the arduous COVID-19 period, Todd continued to work on her striking weapons and kept herself mentally and physically ready despite the strict lockdowns.

The highly anticipated bout has been long overdue

After putting together three back-to-back wins, she grabbed the Atomweight kickboxing gold from Stamp in a back-and-forth thriller in February 2020, making up for the debut loss he suffered at the hands of the Thai superstar a year earlier.

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Despite publicly declaring that she wanted a shot at the Fairtex athlete’s Muay Thai crown following the win, Brazilian star Rodrigues stepped up to challenge and grabbed the divisional gold with both hands following an impressive debut performance.

Todd doesn’t have any remorse whatsoever about her missed opportunity, however. 

She stayed hungry and ready, and when the new divisional queen chose to take time out to focus on pregnancy and childbirth, the striking veteran pounced and dominated Spain’s Lara Fernandez to claim the interim Atomweight Muay Thai belt in July last year.

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Now, with Rodrigues fit and ready to put her gold on the line, Todd feels prepared to step up and gain the title she’s been eyeing for four years.

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Written by:

Mayur Soni

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Mayur Soni is a UFC Writer at EssentiallySports. His interest in the UFC heightened when he first saw his favorite fighter Conor McGregor knockout Jose Aldo in mere 13 seconds, in 2015. He thus got hooked on the sport.
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Edited by:

Amal Joyce