Phetjeeja’s Kickboxing Title Defense Falls Apart Before It Could Begin
A hand injury has cost Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom a fight she had been building toward for months.
“The Queen” has withdrawn from her scheduled ONE Women’s Atomweight Kickboxing World Title defense against Greek striker Antonia Prifti at The Inner Circle 28, streaming live from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, August 28.
The injury occurred during training camp, forcing organizers to strip the title fight entirely from the card rather than search for a late replacement.
The timing stings for a champion who carries a staggering 210-6 career record and an 8-1 mark since joining the promotion. Phetjeeja built that reign on four consecutive TKO wins that earned her a six-figure contract, then added the interim kickboxing title with a win over Anissa Meksen before unifying the belt against Janet Todd and defending it against Kana.
She had returned to kickboxing following an unsuccessful bid for two-sport glory against ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues, and the Prifti matchup represented her chance to reestablish dominance in the division she has ruled since claiming undisputed gold.
Prifti, 24, now finds her own path delayed. The Greek sensation carries a 25-3 record and former K-1 Women’s Flyweight Championship credentials into what would have been both her ONE Championship debut and a genuine World Title opportunity in one night.
Instead, that moment waits. No replacement opponent or rescheduled date has been announced, leaving both fighters in limbo while Phetjeeja works through recovery.
For a champion who built her reputation on rarely, if ever, sitting idle, this unplanned pause may prove just as frustrating as any opponent she has faced inside the ring. The rest of The Inner Circle 28 card remains intact, with the promotion expected to shuffle the lineup around the newly created gap atop the bill.
The delay also puts a pause on a growing list of names angling for a shot at her in the division. Fellow contender Kana has publicly named Phetjeeja as a top target as she works her way back toward title contention herself, a reminder of just how many storylines around the kickboxing crown now hinge on Phetjeeja’s recovery timeline.
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