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ONE Championship is set to crown the interim queen of the atomweight Muay Thai division when promotional newcomer Lara Fernandez steps into the cage against Janet Todd.
After falling short to Stamp Fairtex in her own debut, “JT” has run roughshod throughout ONE Super Series and is now closing in on becoming a member of the two-sport champions’ club in the promotion.
As she prepares to face Fernandez this coming Friday, July 22, the reigning atomweight kickboxing champion was quick to give praises to her opponent.
“[Fernandez is] a good technical fighter. She’s fought some top-level competition. She’s, you know, currently a WBC titleholder. She’s a good forward pressure type of fighter,” Todd said in a recent interview.
Fernandez won the WBC Muay Thai flyweight title in March 2020 after defeating Grace Spicer in a five-round striking masterclass.
The Spanish-born Fernandez is also the current ISKA super featherweight champion, taking home the title two months before taking down China’s Li Mingrui via unanimous decision in her first defense.
Todd is fully aware of the 25-year-old’s versatile striking arsenal but remains unfazed regarding her chances against Fernandez.
“I think the strength that I have is my movement. To be able to get the angles that I want for my shots, and also the use of my combinations to create openings,” Todd noted.
“It might not be open right at that moment, but then it can lend itself to creating other openings during the fight. So, I think I can use those types of advantages in the fight.”
Should Todd be successful in her bid against Fernandez, her list of accolades will be similar to that of Sam-A Gaiyanghadao and the aforementioned Stamp–the only two fighters in the organization who have claimed two-sport champion status.
For Todd, winning the interim atomweight Muay Thai title is everything to her.
“I envision myself with the belt at the end of the fight. You know, that’s always the mentality that I go in with every fight. I envision, like, at the end of the fight, my hands being raised and feeling that heavy belt strapped over my shoulder,” she stated.
Todd’s former opponents in Stamp and Alma Juniku are pretty confident that she can claim the interim crown, but they also warned against discounting a Fernandez upset.
ONE Super Series fans are going to be given a treat once Todd and Fernandez meet in the co-main event of ONE 159 on Friday, July 22 at 6:30 PM SGT (6:30 AM ET).
The headlining encounter will feature Reinier de Ridder’s defense of the middleweight title against Vitaly Bigdash as he looks to continue his reign over both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Lara Fernandez (right) lands a high kick on her opponent.
Photo: Lara Fernandez/Facebook
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