Superlek Kiatmoo9, the reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, will face Muay Thai sensation Nabil Anane, 19, this Friday, June 23, when he dons the 4-ounce gloves.
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Superlek Kiatmoo9, the reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, will face Muay Thai sensation Nabil Anane, 19, this Friday, June 23, when he dons the 4-ounce gloves. Their flyweight matchup, which is scheduled for the highly anticipated ONE Friday Fights 22 event and will be broadcast live in Asia’s primetime, will be “The Kicking Machine’s” first contest in the storied Lumpinee Boxing Stadium since 2017.
The Thai superstar is thrilled to fight at the storied Bangkok arena once more in front of a boisterous home-country audience. The 27-year-old leaped at the chance to participate in his native sport while surrounded by the distinctive intensity of Lumpinee, even while on a fantastic two-fight kickboxing run that saw him win and defend the flyweight title.
READ MORE: ONE Friday Fights 22 – Preview, match card, where to watch, venue, time, tickets
When asked in an interview by ONEFC.com, why he took the fight, his answer was very simple and subtle, he said, “[I switched from kickboxing] because I want to fight at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium. I miss this place. When the ONE team called me and told me that the fight will take place on June 23 at Lumpinee, I was so excited. I accepted the offer immediately.”
Superlek has been eager to take part and perform among some of the world’s best martial artists ever since ONE started hosting weekly fight events at Lumpinee Stadium in January. He’s been motivated to go back to the arena where he won his first World Titles more than ten years ago by watching ONE Friday Fights week in and week out.
Superlek said, “Every time I watch [ONE Friday Fights], they always hype me up. I want to be part of this program. And I said to myself, ‘Someday, I want to come back to fight at Lumpinee again.’”
While Superlek Kiatmoo9 is really eager to fight at Lumpinee Stadium later in the week, he is not neglecting his incredibly gifted rival. Nabil Anane will be making his ONE debut, but that doesn’t mean he lacks experience or talent.
The representative of Team Mehdi Zatout, who stands at a towering 6-foot-2 and is extraordinarily tall for the 135-pound weight class, is already a legendary WBC Muay Thai World Champion. In light of this, “The Kicking Machine” treats the teen phenomenon seriously:
“Underestimating my opponent is the last thing I will do. Everyone can make mistakes, and I won’t be careless. I think it is a good test for me to face a rangier striker like him and to see if my game plan works.”
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