Despite being born and raised in very different corners of the globe, rising Australian Muay Thai star Alma Juniku and Thailand’s ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Stamp Fairtex have more in common than they may realize.
The pair will square off in the main event of ONE: Legendary Quest in Shanghai on June 15, where the world championship belt will be on the line in what shapes to be an intriguing match-up.
With Juniku still a teenager at 18 years of age and Stamp still only 21, they’re two of the brightest young stars on ONE Championships’ glittering roster, and they’ve both been immersed in martial arts for as long as they can recall.
After starting her sporting life as a footballer, Juniku soon crossed over into the world of Muay Thai and began taking her first bouts at just nine-years-old.
As is common with Thai fighters, it was even earlier with Stamp. Discovering the art by way of her fighter father, she was in her uncle’s gym training at the staggering age of five, and had her first bout that same year.
It’s rare that a non-Thai fighter would enter into a bout with a Thai as a favorite, and the same will be true for Juniku when she squares off with Stamp at Baoshan Arena.
She’s aware that the odds aren’t in her favor but has complete faith that her trainers have devised a blueprint for an upset victory.
“My trainer and I are working on techniques. I’m not going to tell everyone [what we plan to do], but yeah, we’ve watched her,” Juniku revealed.
“All I can say is she’s aggressive with very good technique – typical Thai technique. The main thing I’ve got to look out for is that right hand and her clinch game, so I’m going to do a lot of head movement and stepping out of the way to counter.”
Juniku certainly won’t be taking a backward step, that’s not in her DNA.
“I’m strong and fast, and I get right to the point, so I land really clean,” Juniku asserts.
“My elbows and my hands are my biggest assets – I’m really strong with my hands, and I do a lot of damage with elbows.”
“I’d like to win by knockout, but Stamp is a really tough fighter who takes punches well, so we will have to see on the night.”
Regardless of which fighter has their hand raised, both Juniku and Stamp are prodigies who promise to be at the top of the division for many more years to come.
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