“It’s just me and Anissa” - Jackie Buntan says she’s solely focused on Anissa Meksen ahead of world title matchup at ONE 169
Jackie Buntan won't bother herself thinking about any potential super fights, until she's done with her next assignment in the ONE Championship ring. The Filipino-American sensation will face the legendary Anissa Meksen for the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world title at the stacked ONE 169 card on Nov. 8 at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
In an exclusive interview with Sportkeeda MMA, Buntan said she's not interested in any possible super fights until she beats Meksen for the inaugural ONE world title.
Jackie Buntan pointed out that her sole focus remains on facing the French-Algerian icon and leaving Bangkok with the title.
She said:
"No, not right now. I’m not really focused on that right now. It’s just me and Anissa."
Buntan was on a massive high when she started her ONE Championship tenure, racking up three straight wins against Wondergirl Jaroonsak, Ekaterina Vandaryeva and Daniela Lopez.
That three-fight winning streak led her to a shot at the inaugural ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world title, but she lost to Smilla Sundell in their world championship match at ONE 156.
Nevertheless, Buntan avenged that defeat with another three-fight winning streak when she fended off Amber Kitchen, Diandra Martin and Martine Michieletto.
Buntan now has another crack at gold when she faces Meksen in what could be a career-defining match.
ONE 169 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Jackie Buntan says a win over Anissa Meksen could elevate her status in the world of combat sports world
Anissa Meksen is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time, and Jackie Buntan believes beating the multi-time world champion would push her career to greater heights.
'C18' has won numerous world titles across organizations, holds an impressive 103-6 professional record, and has gone 3-1 in ONE Championship.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Buntan said a win over Meksen would solidify her legacy. She said:
"There's more to it [than just winning a world title]. But that's obviously the end goal, is you want to work toward something that solidifies your greatness, that solidifies your name in the sport."