ONE atomweight kickboxing world champion Janet Todd is fired up for her upcoming shot at establishing herself as a two-sport queen.
This coming Friday, the American takes on Spanish star Lara Fernandez for the ONE interim atomweight muay Thai world title, and she hopes her years of hard work and sacrifice will be enough to get her across the finish line.
Todd had a rather unconventional start to life in martial arts, but her determination to gain more knowledge and evolve over the years has been fundamental to her career trajectory.
Her journey into the striking sports began when she enrolled in a five-year master’s program in aerospace engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California.
Todd’s education was a top priority, but the Californian was keen to stay in shape and get involved in some kind of physical activity. With that in mind, so she took up cardio kickboxing and immediately recognized its benefits.
“I loved it right away. Learning new movements was really interesting for me because I didn’t come from a martial arts background. So, learning to kick was fun because my kicks were probably really (bad) when I started,” the 36-year-old recalled. “Being able to learn new movements, and then perfecting those new movements, was something I really enjoyed.”
Cardio kickboxing allowed her to pick up the basics of martial arts. But due to the way the class she had chosen was offered, she often focused on quick techniques and fast-paced cardio, meaning that there was only so much that “JT” could learn.
That prompted her to research other ways she could build her skill set. When she entered her senior year, she was introduced to muay Thai by her then-boyfriend, and she hasn’t looked back since.
“At the time, he was just a guy I was seeing, but now he’s my husband. He introduced me to a muay Thai gym in the central coast area,” Todd said.
The American star picked up the basics of the discipline quickly, and she began to develop at an impressive pace. Soon, “JT” felt that it was time to see how she would fare in an amateur fight.
She left the ring with a debut win, and her love of muay Thai was cemented. Unfortunately, opportunities were scarce for her in the United States, which meant that she had to put her plans for future competitive endeavors on hold.
“In other parts of the world, they’re fighting every weekend, whereas down here, a promoter wants you to sell tickets (to the event), and if you don’t sell tickets, they generally won’t put you on a card,” Todd said.
“The fights are once a month, and if you’re lucky to get on that card, you’re fighting once a month. If not, you’re fighting every two or three months. The opportunities are kind of few and far between compared to other countries.”
Eager to take the next step in her martial arts career, Todd began searching for opportunities in other parts of the world.
In 2017, “JT” participated in 14 fights and won most by knockout. Along with the highlight-reel finishes came some trophies and medals, including a gold medal at the IFMA Pan American Championships and a bronze medal at the IFMA World Championships and World Games.
Her hard work and dedication paid off when she joined ONE Super Series, and she was immediately offered the chance to challenge the best talents inside the ONE circle.
Though she fell to Stamp Fairtex in the inaugural ONE atomweight muay Thai world title fight in February 2019, she has been flawless in competition ever since.
The American star has amassed six consecutive wins – including three via knockout – and she claimed the ONE atomweight kickboxing world title in a rematch with Stamp in 2020.
Now she wants to pair that gold with another prestigious strap, and fans can find out whether she succeeds in her mission at ONE 159 on Friday.
