What’s the story: Janet Todd vs. Lara Fernandez at ONE 159

Decorated championship strikers Janet Todd and Lara Fernandez will face off at ONE 159 on July 22, with the interim ONE Muay Thai women's atomweight championship title on the line.

American-born striker Janet Todd is the current ONE atomweight kickboxing world champion but is also looking to capture gold in Muay Thai. Before making her debut in ONE Championship, she had already earned several titles in Muay Thai, including the International Federation of Muaythai Association, among others.

Spanish fighter Lara Fernandez will be making her debut in ONE Championship on July 22. She, too, enters the promotion as a very accomplished and decorated striker. Fernandez has already collected championship titles in the International Federation of Muaythai Association and World Boxing Council Muaythai, among others.

'JT' Janet Todd and 'Pizza Power' Lara Fernandez will fight for the interim Muay Thai title because reigning champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues has taken some time away to have a child. The Brazilian fighter won the belt when she defeated Stamp Fairtex in 2020 but has been inactive since then.

Janet Todd made her debut in ONE in 2019, challenging Stamp's Muay Thai title and losing via decision. Despite being a Muay Thai fighter, 'JT' found success later in kickboxing, eventually capturing the title and avenging her loss by defeating Stamp in 2020.

Even though she holds the kickboxing championship, she has always wanted to return for Muay Thai gold. In an interview with ONE Championship, Todd told SCMP Martial Arts:

“I think it just kinda let into the Muay Thai area because I did get the [kickboxing] title so I wanted to kind of move into the Muay Thai area again. Muay Thai was actually the first area that I entered into... I started my quest towards the kickboxing one and now that I obtained that I try to come back to my Muay Thai roots a little bit.”

Todd also talked about the similarities between her and Fernandez and what she sees as potential threats in her upcoming opponent.

Watch the interview below:

Despite having a very decorated past, 'Pizza Power' Lara Fernandez knows that her upcoming interim Muay Thai title fight at ONE 159 is the biggest fight of her career. On Instagram, she said:

"HERE IT IS! My time has finally come. On July 22 I will face Janet Todd for the ONE interim Atomweight Muay Thai World Title. I've been living in a cloud since I received the news It's time to keep bursting training and leaving my skin until the day comes, my day. I AM READY." [Translated via Instagram]

See the post below:

---

Janet Todd, Lara Fernandez, and Anissa Meksen

Janet Todd wants to earn a title in Muay Thai, the sport in which she started her combat sports journey. However, some ONE athletes have been critical of her for not defending her kickboxing title.

Anissa Meksen is a decorated ONE Championship kickboxer on an impressive win streak, competing in the same division in which Janet Todd is the champion. Meksen has previously held titles in GLORY Kickboxing, International Sport Karate Association, Kunlun, Enfusion, and others.

Now that she has a winning streak in ONE Championship, she wants Janet Todd to defend her title. In an interview with SCMP Martial Arts, Meksen said:

“I think she’s afraid. I want this fight, you know. I hope ONE Championship makes this fight soon... Of course [I can be an interim champion], but if she doesn’t want [to fight me] then she can vacate the belt. Why does she want to push this fight? She’s escaping, simply put.”

Watch the interview below:

The reigning kickboxing champion, Todd, has responded to these callouts and said she is happy to fight Meksen in any capacity. Speaking to ONE Championship in an interview, she said that if the fight were offered, she would take it. For now, the top contender will have to wait as Todd is looking to earn a title in Muay Thai.

She also added:

“When you’re a world champion, there’s going to be a target on your back. There’s going to be people calling you out, that’s just part of the game. So you either let that affect you emotionally, or you just kind of distance yourself from it and focus on what you do best. So, like I said, I think it takes away from the love of my sport. I’d rather just focus my energy on what I love to do.”

A ONE interim Muay Thai championship title will be on the line at ONE 159 on July 22 when decorated strikers meet in the ONE Circle. 'JT' Janet Todd and 'Pizza Power' Lara Fernandez are excellent strikers, and this fight will be one to watch.