Latest news with #Superlek
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.
Arab News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Algeria's Muay Thai star Nabil Anane eyes undisputed world title at ONE 172 on Sunday
After six straight wins in martial arts organization ONE Championship, Algeria's Nabil Anane is looking to earn the biggest win of his career at ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang this Sunday at Saitama Super Arena in Japan. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport In his last fight, Anane clinched the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai world title with a technical knockout victory against Scottish fighter Nico Carrillo. Anane's next mission is to unify the world title against Superlek Kiatmoo9 — the Thai megastar who knocked out the Algerian star on his promotional debut back in 2023. 'I'm looking just for the win. I just want to beat Superlek. I don't even think about the belt. I just want the win. I just want to beat Superlek. That's it. That's what I want in this fight,' Anane said. The towering 20-year-old star, born to an Algerian father and Thai mother, has shown marked improvement in his overall game since the first time he met Superlek inside the ring. In his last six bouts, Anane used his height and reach advantage to dominate some of the most established Muay Thai fighters, finishing three of his opponents. Anane, who is the youngest ever WBC Muay Thai champion, believes his wins over opponents such as former world title challenger Felipe Lobo and Lethwei legend Soe Lin Oo prove that he has become used to fighting in small gloves — and is now ready to even the score with the two-sport, two-weight world champion. 'Two years ago, I didn't know nothing about small (4-ounce) gloves. I didn't have this experience. I'm totally different. Very different. It was a big lesson, and I learned a lot in that fight. I'm sure that it's not going to be the same this time,' Anane said. If Anane wins the highly anticipated rematch, he will solidify his status as one of the best Muay Thai practitioners today, and become only the second undisputed ONE world champion from the MENA region after former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing world champion, Morocco's Ilias Ennahachi, who is the only man to beat Superlek in ONE Championship. The event, which features five world title bouts across Muay Thai, kickboxing and mixed martial arts, is headlined by a flyweight kickboxing super-fight between Japanese icon Takeru Segawa and Muay Thai megastar Rodtang Jitmuangon.
South China Morning Post
15-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
ONE Championship: Anane determined to avenge devastating Superlek defeat at ONE 172
Nabil Anane told the Post he is determined to avenge the only knockout loss of his career when gets into the ring with Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 172 in Tokyo on March 23. Advertisement The 20-year-old has already established himself as one of the most exciting young talents in Muay Thai but fell to Superlek in the first round when they met in 2023 – a humbling moment for the towering 6'4 Thai-Algerian. But rather than let that defeat define him, he used it as fuel. Since then, he has put together a dominant six-fight winning streak, capped by a stunning stoppage win over Nico Carrillo at ONE 170 to claim the interim bantamweight Muay Thai title and a US$50,000 bonus. 'Yes, because I have lost once and now is my revenge – I'm the underdog for sure,' Anane said of his coming fight with Superlek. Anane is no stranger to big fights. Despite his age, he has already faced and beaten some of the world's best. But he said this one feels different. Advertisement 'This second time, I really don't want to lose,' he said. 'And it's going to be a great fight.'
