ONE Championship: Jackie Buntan stuns Wondergirl Fairtex in dominant debut at Fists of Fury
- Filipino-American knocks Thai prodigy down in first round in Singapore and closes out unanimous decision
- ‘I have 100 per cent confidence in my training, and my coaches, I brought that with me in the cage,’ says Buntan
Wondergirl Fairtex had been building up a head of steam since debuting in ONE Championship’s strawweight Muay Thai division last summer.
But Jackie Buntan shut the Thai prodigy down with a dominant unanimous decision on her own promotional bow at Fists of Fury in Singapore on Friday night, displaying her considerable credentials to become the inaugural champ, when the title is eventually contested.
The Filipino-American, 23, knocked the Thai prodigy down in spectacular fashion late in the first round at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Wondergirl was badly hurt, and gingerly got to her feet to answer the referee’s count, but the 21-year-old never recovered and looked tentative for the rest of the three-round bout.
“I have 100 per cent confidence in my training, and my coaches,” Buntan told ONE commentator and analyst Mitch Chilson in the Circle after the fight.
“I believe that, and I brought that with me here in the cage tonight.”
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A training partner of ONE atomweight kick-boxing champ Janet Todd at Boxing Works in California, Buntan showed off her striking prowess sharpened under the tutelage of coach Brian Popejoy.
Wondergirl had shot to prominence with two quick TKOs in her home country last year, but her own title hopes will have taken a huge knock after she was outclassed in Singapore.
