During a press conference held earlier today, ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced that Anissa Meksen and Stamp Fairtex would face each other for the interim ONE Atomweight Kickboxing championship. The title bout has been tentatively announced for February, if both fighters don't suffer any cuts or injuries during their mixed rules fight this Saturday, or for March, should they need time to recuperate.
The winner of this contest will have earned themselves the right to challenge the incumbent ONE Atomweight Kickboxing champion Janet Todd sometime later in the year. Todd was herself expected to unify her interim ONE Atomweight Muay Thai title with the reigning titleholder Allycia Rodrigues on December 3, but was forced to withdraw on November 30, after contracting COVID-19. Although the fight hasn't yet been re-scheduled, it is apparently still in the promotion's plans.
Meksen has been vocal in calling Todd out, having asked to face her after all three of her victories inside the ONE circle. Although she hasn't yet gotten her wish, the former GLORY Super Bantamweight queen will have positioned herself for a chance at the title either way, should she become the interim champion. This will not be easy to achieve however, as she will have the former two-sport champion opposite her. Stamp held both the Muay Thai and kickboxing championships between 2018 and 2019, before losing them the following year and transitioning to mixed martial arts.
As for the fight itself, we should see an entertaining battle, which will lead to another interesting contest with Todd for either Stamp of Meksen. A treat for kickboxing fans in any case.
