“The Queen” Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom was able to become the undisputed kickboxing world champion this past week as she defeated the long-reigning queen Janet Todd over five rounds. With the kickboxing world title locked up, the young athlete now sets her aim for the Muay Thai world championship.
At the same event, ONE Fight Night 20, Brazil’s Allycia Hellen Rodrigues was able to defend her atomweight Muay Thai throne against Cristina Morales. This year, we are likely to see a showdown between the two atomweight champions.
In a post-fight interview, Phetjeeja explained:
“I think there’s a high chance of us facing each other soon – World Champion versus World Champion. I think it’s more likely that I’ll go for the Muay Thai belt… For my next fight I plan to get back into Muay Thai, I want Allycia.
Rodrigues earned the ONE atomweight Muay Thai world championship when she defeated Stamp Fairtex in 2020. She took a little time off to have a child. Then returned to ONE Championship to defend her crown against Janet Todd.
The Thai-born Phetjeeja entered ONE Championship on a hot streak. She had earned several knockout wins in Muay Thai and boxing before her ONE debut. Fighting for ONE in Lumpinee Stadium, the 22-year-old striker earned another four victories by way of knockout.
Next, she earned interim gold as she defeated former GLORY Kickboxing world champion Anissa Meksen. Most recently, Phetjeeja unseated the long-ruling American-born world champion, Janet Todd. With a loss, “JT” announced her retirement.
On facing Todd in her retirement match, Phetjeeja reflected:
“It was such an honor to fight Janet Todd in her retirement fight. I’m very happy that I was part of her last fight so she can remember me and I can remember her. It was a historic moment for both of us.
“Of course, there was a lot of pressure for me because she was also the champion. I just kept telling myself not to think about the fight and not to stress out as much and to just go with the flow.”