Latest news with #NabilAnane
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
ONE Championship: Legendary Superlek out to prove people wrong after ONE 172 horror show
The word 'legend' is thrown around too easily these days, but it fits Superlek Kiatmoo9 like a glove. The ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion has long been regarded as one of the finest strikers on the planet: calm and humble outside the ring, ruthless and precise inside it – the 'Kicking Machine' had built an aura few could touch. That was until ONE 172 in Japan earlier this year. Heading into fight week, Superlek held two world titles and was riding a 13-fight winning streak. But things started to unravel in unexpected fashion. The Thai superstar failed the pre-fight weigh-in and hydration tests, losing his flyweight Muay Thai belt on the scale. Days later, he suffered a shocking unanimous decision defeat to 20-year-old French-Algerian Nabil Anane, who also became the first man to score a knockdown against Superlek. Play Reflecting on that moment, the 29-year-old told the Post the entire experience was frustrating.
Morocco World
24-03-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Algeria's Nabil Anane Beats Superlek in Historic Matchup at ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang
Casablanca – Algeria's Nabil Anane scored a historic win against Thai star Superlek Kiatmoo9 who is widely considered the best Muay Thai fighter today. Anane, who is the interim ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai world champion, put in a world-class performance to dominate the Thai great throughout three rounds of action. The matchup was scheduled to be a ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai world championship unification bout but it was changed into a three-round bout after Superlek failed his hydration test and was subsequently stripped of his world title. The 20-year-old Algerian star avenged his debut 2023 loss against 'The Kicking Machine' in style, showcasing his growing confidence and power and an improved striking skillset. This is Anane's seventh consecutive win in ONE Championship in a run that has seen him capture big victories against notable fighters such as Nico Carrillo, Felipe Lobo, and Soe Lin Oo. With this win, the youngest ever WBC Muay Thai champion raises his overall professional record to 40-5 and proves he is one of the best Muay Thai athletes in the world today. After the biggest victory of his career, Anane addressed the fans at the Saitama Super Arena, thanking his family, friends, and coaches, including Mehdi Zatout, and describing the win as 'a dream come true'. 'I'm very happy now. My first dream just came true. I'm so happy. I've never been this happy in my life before,' Anane said. ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang witnessed four world title matchups that crowned three new champions: ONE Interim Strawweight Kickboxing world champion Jonathan Di Bella, ONE Flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu, and ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri. The show's main event also witnessed Thai star Rodtang Jitmuangnon knock out Takeru Segawa in a five-round flyweight kickboxing super-fight. Tags: AlgeriaAnane Nabilmuay thaione championshipSuperlek
