Interim ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane shocked the combat sports world with a dominant victory over pound-for-pound great Superlek Kiatmoo9 on Sunday, March 23, at Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
What was originally scheduled as a title unification bout became a three-round non-title affair when Superlek failed to make weight and was stripped of his bantamweight Muay Thai crown during official weigh-ins. Despite this significant change, both fighters agreed to proceed with the matchup.
The 20-year-old Anane, who had previously lost to Superlek in his ONE Championship debut two years ago, delivered a masterclass performance that included scoring a knockdown in the opening round. The 6-foot-4 phenom’s precise kicks and combinations consistently found their mark against the typically elusive Thai striker.
“I feel so happy. Thank you so much, to everyone who have always been behind me,” Anane said. “I had so much sacrifice for this fight for years and before this fight, also the whole preparation, [it was] very tough and a lot of sacrifices, and tonight, I made it.”
What made Anane’s victory even more remarkable was his ability to maintain peak condition while observing Ramadan, which required him to alter his training and eating routines leading up to the fight.
Despite these challenges, the Algerian-Thai fighter executed his game plan perfectly, snapping Superlek’s impressive 11-fight winning streak in convincing fashion.
“Everything went according to plan, and thanks to Mehdi Zatout, who [had] come up with a plan and trained me very hard for this fight,” Anane said. “I want to let everyone know because a lot of people think that if you’re tall, you have the advantage. It’s not. I got a lot of hard training. I trained very hard for this.”
While fans expected a close contest between the two elite strikers, Anane’s dominance surprised many, as he outclassed “The Kicking Machine” in virtually every exchange throughout the bout.
The victory represents the fulfillment of a long-held dream for Anane, though he expressed disappointment about missing the opportunity to claim the undisputed title.
“Superlek actually weighed a little bit more than I do, and I want to let everyone know because a lot of people think that if you’re tall, you have the advantage,” Anane said.
“I got a lot of hard training. I trained very hard for this. If being tall is the sole reason that you can win, I want to invite everyone who is tall to come and fight and become a champion.”