"I'm the underdog" - Jackie Buntan ready to bet on herself against battle-tested veteran Anissa Meksen at ONE 169
Jackie Buntan is happy to admit that she is up against it in her next fight despite being confident in her ability to secure the win. The 27-year-old competitor has delivered some very impressive performances under the ONE Championship banner.
In seven fights with the promotion, she has suffered just one defeat, and that came in a title fight with Smilla Sundell.
However, all of those bouts have seen Buntan compete under the Muay Thai ruleset which will not be in use for her next outing. At ONE 169, the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world championship is on the line as she faces off with the world-renowned striker Anissa Meksen.
Buntan may be the one of the most experienced fighters in this promotion, but when it comes to overall kickboxing pedigree, she's massively outmatched by her next opponent.
She will be facing an elite-level former champion in her first outing in kickboxing, and she understands the difficulty of the task that awaits her. Speaking to ONE Championship, she said:
"On paper, I'm the underdog. It's my first kickboxing fight. She has more than double the experience. She's a multiple-time World Champion."
Jackie Buntan will happily try to cause an upset
If Jackie Buntan is entering this fight as the underdog, she will pursue the upset and not let it affect her approach to the fight.
Meksen may hold a massive advantage when it comes to high-level kickboxing experience, but that doesn't mean it will be an easy night for her on Nov. 8.
Buntan has faced elite-level strikers in the past and is confident that she can do the same in kickboxing by transferring her skills from Muay Thai.
The fans are in for a great striking clash at Lumpinee Stadium because you can bet your house on Buntan bringing the action whether she's the underdog or not.