Jenelyn Olsim’s match against Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan will have to wait for another day.
The Filipina fighter shared that she has suffered an injury during her training and will have to, unfortunately, pull out of the ONE: BAD BLOOD card set for Feb. 11 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
“I was supposed to battle Jihin on three weeks’ notice, but due to a bad accidental injury I had in one of our sparring sessions, our medical doctor diagnosed me unfit to continue the fight and told me that I need to physically recover,” she said.
It’s such tough news to take for Olsim who was looking forward to her return to the ONE Circle.
Putting up an admirable performance, she did find herself outwrestled by Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat in the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix semifinals that ended in a unanimous decision loss at ONE: NEXTGEN last October.
“I was really looking forward to going back to fighting and I had been preparing really hard for this,” she said. “I was so focused that I really wanted to win, but I won’t be able to perform at my best with my current condition. It’s upsetting, but it’s what needs to be done.”
Save for that loss to Phogat, Olsim has been impressive since making the jump to the women’s atomweight division with the Team Lakay rising star boasting a unanimous decision victory over Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen at ONE: BATTLEGROUND III back in August.
Despite this recent setback, the Southeast Asian Games silver medalist vowed to be back stronger than ever. And she only has one target once she gets cleared: Jihin Radzuan.
“We’ve been preparing to fight each other for the second time. This hanging match with her is making me more excited to face her for real. I can say that I’m 100-percent focused and I can’t wait to be back to train for her,” she said.
Olsim and Radzuan were originally set to face off at ONE: NEXTGEN II in an alternate bout in the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix before changes had to be made in the card that led to the Filipina stepping up to the plate against Phogat.
For Olsim, she’s looking at this more as a blessing in disguise as it gives both camps more opportunities to prepare for one another and be at their very best once that bell rings.
“Jihin is a well-rounded fighter and I am as well, but I’d like to test my ground game against her because she’s really good at the ground,” she said.
More than anything, this injury also prolongs her hunger as Olsim is just raring to get back to action sooner than later.
“I’m 100% hungry to return and I want to win again,” she said. “I will be back in full swing, so wait for me!” (ONE Championship) – bny
