“We just kept growing” – Jackie Buntan recalls the humble beginnings of their ‘small gym’ Boxing Works in California

One of the long-tenured athletes training with Southern California-based Boxing Works, Jackie Buntan, is happy to see their team grow in number throughout the years and put their learnings to good use.

The 26-year-old Filipino-American fighter started developing her striking skills under coach Bryan Popejoy and his team at a young age, and is glad she did so because it set her up well for a career in combat sports.

Along the way she has seen Boxing Works grow its stable with like-minded athletes who submit to the gym’s vision and mission of training and success.

Jackie Buntan recalled their humble beginnings in an interview with Alex Wendling on YouTube, sharing:

“I can't remember what year but my boxing coach and his wife took over the gym, I don't know in the late 90s, and you know it definitely was a smaller gym and I still kind of view ourselves [as that]. We're not a small gym, but I think just starting out when I was a kid we were like a small little gym in Hermosa Beach, that was our first location. and the team just kept growing and growing and growing.”

Check out what she had to say below:

Since she started training in Boxing Works, Jackie Buntan has gone a long way as a combat sports athlete. From a solid amateur Muay Thai career in the United States, she transitioned to become one of the noted strikers in the strawweight class in ONE Championship.

She currently holds an impressive 5-1 win-loss record under the promotion. Her lone defeat came at the hands of Smilla Sundell of Sweden by unanimous decision in April last year for the inaugural ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world title.

Buntan was supposed to face Sundell in a rematch last September but she had to withdraw for personal reasons.

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Jackie Buntan happy to touch base with her Filipino roots

American striker Jackie Buntan is grateful to ONE Championship for the opportunity to showcase what she is capable of as a fighter and touch base with her Filipino roots.

In 2022, the Boxing Works standout had the chance to come to the Philippines twice, which she described as a fulfillment of her longtime dream.

She shared with Alex Wendling in an interview:

“100 percent honored, yeah. You know, I was able to, fortunate enough, to go to the Philippines twice last year. The second time I was able to fight there, in December, so that was like a dream come true, honestly. It would have been better if I had my family with me next time, hopefully.”

Jackie Buntan fought in Manila in December at ONE on Prime Video 5, dominating Amber Kitchen of the United Kingdom on her way to a unanimous decision victory. She was celebrated by the Filipino crowd, a feeling she wants to revisit at some point in the future.