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| PIC One Championship |
Stamp Fairtex and Janet Todd put on a show at the weekend in One Championship, not just a great fight but centre-stage on the main card. When Fairtex gear and the people behind American muaythai started promoting women about 20 years ago, it wasn't a sure thing but they're certainly reaping the benefits now.
Stamp won with a strong display of punching and great ring-work, taking the Atomweight Muaythai title. If you didn't catch the bout, then see the One Championship social media for video highlights.
But what was special about this fight? Janet is representing America, a country not known for producing a high number of women fighters on the Muaythai scene but that is changing fast. You could point back to Miriam Nakamoto but the new fighters coming up are coming in numbers and that is the difference.
I saw Janet fight quite a few times as she's on the USMF amateur team. She's fast and very technical, a strength perhaps linked to her career as an aeronautical engineer. She fought at The World Games in 2017 when her father was seriously ill in hospital, never said a word outside of her camp, just got on with the job. Claimed a bronze medal. In interviews post-fight she never used his illness to say ah I could have done better, just quietly took the medal - America's first muaythai medal at TWG - and moved on to her next goal.
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| Weigh-in Stamp and Janet via One Championhip |
Stamp carries a bigger reputation with her, but as you can see from her reaction to winning, she's fighting for every result. She's won the Kickboxing title with this promotion already and apparently has eyes on MMA next. Still at university, her social media flips between a professional training and sweet hello-kitty-style photos. It's one of the biggest gains for women's fighting in recent years, that women can hold onto being girls and still claim a place in the ring.
One Championship do a great job promoting their athletes too, you can watch a video on Stamp's early life here on their website.
As a by the by, you'll notice from the photo on top that even though this was a Muaythai bout, their gloves are not. A bit confusing as original press for this promotion seemed to divide MMA and the Muaythai or Kickboxing bouts more clearly. See here from Boon equipment for example.
Also if you're interested in how and why One Championship are signing and putting on big names, this deep-dive from Bloody Elbow is very interesting on their finances.
Follow Stamp Fairtex on Instagram @stamp_fairtex
Follow Janet Todd on Instagram @jm_coakle
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