Stamp Fairtex's Plan To Become A Three-Sport ONE World Champion
ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Stamp Fairtex has an opportunity to make history.
In the main event of ONE: CALL TO GREATNESS, she will challenge American sensation Janet “JT” Todd for the inaugural ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship.
The bout will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 22 February, and if the Thai martial arts icon wins, then she will become the first ever two-sport ONE World Champion.
Stamp captured the gold, and the hearts of fans worldwide, when she made her promotional debut at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES in Bangkok, Thailand last October.
After five exhilarating rounds, the 21-year-old defeated then-titleholder “Killer Bee” Kai Ting Chuang to become the new ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion.
Her grand premiere in The Home Of Martial Arts was one of the most memorable ONE Super Series performances thus far.
From her elite-level striking to her humble displays of sportsmanship and unique dance moves, Stamp became a role model for young girls nationwide in a single evening.
Now, the Fairtex representative will return to her roots of Muay Thai — a sport she has been competing in since the tender age of 5.
“I’m really excited to be competing in Muay Thai again. It is in my blood,” she states. “It is also the discipline that I feel the most comfortable and confident in.”
The same could be said about her opponent, who is also a highly accomplished pugilist.
In 2017 alone, Todd won a bronze medal at the IFMA World Championships, a bronze medal at the World Games, and gold at the IFMA Pan-American Championships.
She currently hones her skills at Boxing Works in Torrance, California under the tutelage of Bryan Popejoy.
“I’ve seen some videos of my opponent. She has a Thai style and is very strong,” Stamp acknowledges.
“But I’ve been competing since a very young age. I think my experience will be my greatest asset going into this match.
“I think I can score a lot in the clinch with my knees and throws. That is what I am best known for as a Muay Thai fighter.”
Stamp is also known for her fantastic conditioning, and fans can rest assured she will be more than prepared for five action-packed rounds.
Training out of the Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand, she sharpens her world-class skills for nearly six hours a day, six days a week.
“Morning training goes from 6am to 10am,” she begins.
“We do everything from running to pad work and sparring. Then in the afternoons, I train from 3pm to 5pm. On top of that, some days I do conditioning in the afternoons as well.
“My trainers are helping me formulate a strong game plan, but mainly, we are just focusing on my conditioning.”
Another thing that has been added to Stamp’s daily training is the use of 4-ounce mixed martial arts gloves.
She has never competed in gloves this small before in a striking contest, but she is starting to embrace them and getting more comfortable striking with them on.
“This will be the first time I will be wearing small gloves in a Muay Thai fight. They add an element of danger,” she explains. “I’m training in them every day so I can get used to them.”
The stakes are high for both athletes — especially Stamp.
By defeating Todd, she would become the inaugural ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion, as well as the first two-sport ONE World Champion in the organization’s history.
Also, if she were to achieve this historical feat, then she may keep those 4-ounce mixed martial arts gloves on her hands and issue a challenge to “Unstoppable” Angela Lee for a third piece of gold in another sport.
That, however, depends on the result of her upcoming clash in Singapore.
“Competing for ONE Championship truly is a dream come true. I will do my very best to make sure that belt comes home with me,” she says.
“If I win, my next goal will be to challenge for the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Title.”
