ONE Championship

Beating the man who took the bantamweight kickboxing king the distance tends to get noticed. One former Muay Thai titleholder just did exactly that in Tokyo.

Nabil Anane defeated Yuki Yoza by unanimous decision in bantamweight kickboxing at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17. The win at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, was the 42nd of his professional career.

Yoza had gone five rounds with ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty at ONE SAMURAI 1 less than six months earlier. Anane controlled the first round from range with knees to the body, while the Team Vasileus fighter answered with calf kicks in the second and third.

Anane called the win a welcome return in a discipline he still considers secondary to Muay Thai, and he insists there is plenty of room left to grow.

To some observers, those late exchanges hinted at a shift in momentum. The 22-year-old saw no such thing.

“The third round, I know I won. I was just being careful. I didn’t want to get knocked down or something. Nothing was wrong with the third round or the first or second,” Anane said.

“The fight was the same as I was doing sparring in training. I am used to training with many people. They come at me, they try to do calf kicks. Everything worked well.”

Nabil Anane keeps every door open

Haggerty retained his belt later that night with a stoppage of Hiroki Akimoto, and beating a recent Haggerty opponent may have thrust Anane into contention. He also hopes to represent Thailand in boxing at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The Venum Training Camp and Team Mehdi Zatout star, who snapped a two-fight skid with the win, is in no rush to choose between those paths. He is leaving the decision to his team.

“It depends on the team, my team and our team. Whatever comes, I’ll take it. I’ll never deny anything. I always accept everything. So, I guess time [will tell],” Anane said.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM