Todd Outstrikes Juniku, Makes Case For Muay Thai World Title Shot
ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Janet “JT” Todd stated her case for a shot at two-sport gold with a masterful victory over Alma Juniku in their Muay Thai matchup at ONE: FISTS OF FURY III.
Todd, who also entered as the #2-ranked atomweight Muay Thai contender, showcased her ever-improving boxing to beat the #4-ranked Aussie in a fight that aired on Friday, 19 March.
In the opening round of this battle at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, both women stood in the center of the Circle and traded hands.
Juniku chose to bounce in and strike with long jabs before hopping back out of Todd’s range. “JT,” on the other hand, planted her feet to the canvas and stalked her rival around the cage, where she waited patiently for openings and then attacked with damaging combinations.
The highlight of the frame came when both women engaged in the clinch. Juniku landed a left elbow and knee, but Todd, having wrapped her gloves around the crown of the Australian’s head, turned her opponent and tried to pull her face into a knee, though Juniku barely escaped.
It was a battle of low kicks at the start of the second canto. The women traded leg kicks, often spinning each other from the force on impact. But where Juniku failed to mix up her attacks, Todd poured it on, pelting her foe with jab-straight right combinations.
Undeterred, Juniku pressed the action, but most of her shots came up short, as Todd stayed on the outskirts of the Australian’s fury. And when Juniku continued to press, “JT” clipped her on the chin with a left hand that was immediately pulled back, wound up, and sent smashing into the Aussie’s rib cage.
Todd’s confidence began to grow alongside her output, and with just seconds left in round two, she starched Juniku with a right hand that momentarily unhinged her jawbone and sent her down.
The young fighter beat the count, and after shaking off the damage between rounds, she came out on fire in the third.
However, Todd quickly extinguished that blaze as she sprayed Juniku with a furious combination that saw her land three right hands. The Australian’s spark still shone through, as she lunged in with a jutting elbow that grazed Todd’s left cheek.
The technique gave Juniku enough time to follow up, which she did with a lengthy push kick that sent “JT” stumbling backward. But Todd regained her balance and rode out the round by methodically picking off her rival from the outside.
In the end, all three judges gave the bout to Todd, who improved her overall striking record to 37-11 and may have earned the first challenge of newly crowned ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.
Read more: ONE: FISTS OF FURY III – Full Results For Eersel Vs. Haida
