When Nabil Anane debuted in ONE Championship in 2023, he was thrown to the wolf of the flyweight division, Superlek Kiatmoo9. Since that loss, he has terrorized opponents with devastating results. At ONE 172 on Sunday, March 23, he gets a chance to redeem himself against “The Kicking Machine”.
Their contest will determine the undisputed ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion. Nabil Anane claimed the interim gold with a shocking KO over Nico Carrillo at ONE 170. A result that still reverberates heading into ONE’s return to Japan.
Nabil Anane Discusses Hunger to Stop Carrillo in ONE 170
“When Nico [Carrillo] fell down in the first knockdown, I don’t really remember what was going through my mind, because that moment everything was going very fast, and I don’t know, I just wanted to finish him, and that was what was going through my mind,” Nabil Anane recalled to ONE.
Superlek vs. Nabil Anane II | World Title Fight Preview
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Although Carrillo returned to his feet, he was on borrowed time. Nabil Anane’s ascent to the top of the division was nearing completion. The lanky Muay Thai phenom went on to recount the final two knockdowns that scored him 26 pounds of gold.
“Well, when I threw the head kick, I looked down and I went up with a high kick. So he thought I would throw a normal kick or a leg kick, and his hand dropped. He wanted to catch my leg, but my leg went up straight to his neck and he went down. I didn’t think he would get up, but he got up. He was very, very tough and I thought from there, I thought that was it, but it wasn’t. You know, he still got up. Because I saw I can finish him now. He really surprised me that he got up,” Nabil Anane continued.
Nabil Anane’s Celebration of Championship Win Short-Lived
The victory was not solely about Anane, as he quickly went to celebrate with his coaches and family. However, the elation quickly subsided for the Thai star. Even after completing one of the year’s biggest knockouts, Anane felt it all to be quite normal.
“I saw everyone that was beside me. They were all happy when the bell rang. I was happy for three seconds, for five seconds. And then I stopped. And then I just, I don’t know. It was a very real, weird feeling. And then I started to become normal again. You know, it was something weird, but it’s not a bad feeling, you know? I cannot describe the feeling that I had. But it was a good feeling because I was the underdog. And everyone thought I would lose, you know, by knockout. But I really shocked the world. And that’s it,” Anane detailed.
The match put the unification bout on the docket, and quickly at that. Just two months after his red-hot start to 2025, he prepares for Superlek’s impeccable striking attack. For Nabil Anane, it was music to his ears as he wants to prove the first match was not indicative of his talent.
“I really didn’t know. But I am the interim champion, you know, and I must fight with Superlek because he’s the champ. It will be my revenge, too, and I’m very excited about it,” the Thai athlete remarked.
Anane Looks Back on First Fight vs. Superlek
In remembering their first match, the 20-year-old cited his inexperience. It was not that he was lacking talent, but he was unfamiliar with everything it took to compete on the global stage. With several fights under his belt, he has shown what he has learned with continued success inside the ring.
“Two years ago, I didn’t know anything about ONE Championship. I didn’t know anything about small gloves. I didn’t have this experience. Two years ago, I was totally different. Very different. And I learned a lot of big lessons. I learned a lot from that fight, and I’m sure that it’s not going to be the same this time,” Nabil Anane admitted.
Nabil Anane has leveled up ⬆️ The young phenom will aim for revenge against Superlek in their ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title unification fight at ONE 172 in Japan! Don’t miss the action and grab your PPV now 👊
Buy ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang on PPV NOW 👉… pic.twitter.com/S1NvGSWzH3
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Still the underdog, Nabil Anane plans to shock the world again when he steps inside the Saitama Super Arena. All it will take is defeating the pound-for-pound best striker on the planet. The mission is clear, become the undisputed ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion.
“My objective now is to beat Superlek. It’s to win. Every fight I have a different objective, you know? And this fight, my objective is beating Superlek, to get the victory against him,” Anane said.
ONE 172 airs live on Sunday, March 23, at 3 a.m. ET/midnight PT. The action hails from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. The event is available to purchase on global pay-per-view via watch.onefc.com.
