Nabil Anane: A Towering Force In Muay Thai

Fans of ONE Championship’s Friday Fights at Lumpinee Stadium will be familiar with the name Nabil Anane. Standing at 192 cm, the Thai-Algerian is not only one of the tallest fighters in the ONE arena but a giant who towers over the bantamweight division with a two-meter reach, making his jab longer than most fighters’ teeps.

Nabil has won his last five fights at Lumpinee Stadium, climbing the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai rankings to claim the #4 spot after a unanimous decision victory over Burmese Lethwei Champion Soe Lin Oo.

In the following sections, we’ll explore the career and fighting style of this young powerhouse who is rapidly rising through the global Muay Thai ranks. We’ll delve into his accomplishments, chart his journey through the ONE Championship roster, and analyze how he has utilized his size and fight IQ to secure victories against some of the biggest names in the promotion.

Who Is Nabil Anane?

Born in Pattaya, Thailand, to a Thai mother and a French-Algerian father, Nabil began his martial arts journey at the age of seven, training in karate and taekwondo. By 11, he transitioned to Muay Thai and never looked back.

Just two years into his Muay Thai career, at age 13, Nabil competed at the 2017 IFMA World Youth Championships in Bangkok, winning every round en route to a gold medal. A year later, he joined the Venum Training Camp under the guidance of star trainer and former ONE fighter Mehdi Zatout—a move that catalyzed his career.

From 2018 to 2020, Nabil remained undefeated on the Thai circuit, capturing wins at Rangsit, Superchamp, Rajadamnern, and Lumpinee Stadium. By the end of 2021, he secured the WKN Intercontinental Featherweight Title. Less than a year later, he made history as the youngest-ever WBC World Muay Thai Champion, claiming the belt with a second-round KO victory via punches.

In 2022, Nabil moved up to lightweight, where he defeated Italian fighter Luca Falco with a devastating knee KO to capture his second WBC World Title. This performance caught the attention of ONE Championship, which signed the young star and matched him against Superlek Kiatmoo9, the reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing and Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion. Unfortunately, Nabil’s promotional debut ended in a first-round loss due to a body shot.

However, this setback was short-lived. Since then, Nabil has amassed five straight wins against elite competition, including a KO victory over #4-ranked flyweight Nakrob Fairtex and a dominant unanimous decision against #5-ranked bantamweight Felipe Lobo. These victories have propelled him to #5 in the division, placing him within striking distance of a ONE Championship title shot.

A Versatile Fight Style

With a height and reach that towers beyond any of his opponents, Nabil fights to his strengths utilising range management to dismantle his opponents both defensively from a distance and aggressively from within the clinching range.  This makes him a dynamic fighter who constantly changes the tempo of a fight, making it difficult for his opponents to set a rhythm and impose their will upon him. Given the versatility of his approach, let’s summarize his defensive and aggressive styles separately while highlighting the key techniques he prefers to use in each.

Fighting From Range

Early in his fight’s Nabil likes to stay at range, using his two-metre reach to find his rhythm and timing from a relatively safe range. To do this, he uses evasive footwork in conjunction with a stiff lead jab to keep his opponent at distance. Then, as they press forward, he will often fire off a switch-kick that uses absolutely every inch of his impressive range to score and bully his opponents.

In this recent fight you will notice in the first round that every time his opponent, Felipe Lobo steps forward, Nabil retreats from range and that it is his foot that strikes Lobo with many of his counter kicks. This ensures that, even while scoring, he remains in a defensible position where he minimizes the risk of taking damage.

Fighting In Close Range

Nabil avoids staying in mid-range, where shorter opponents can exploit speed and agility. Instead, he quickly transitions from long range to close range using his lead jab and power cross to force opponents to cover up. This creates openings for his signature knees and elbows.

Alternatively, if his opponent presses aggressively through his jab into midrange, Nabil will fire off a rapid left knee that stabs right into his opponent’s midsection before they can unload upon him. Then he will either step back to continue at long range or use the knee as an opportunity to enter the clinch.

Once he’s in close Nabil continues to use his towering stature to his advantage. He locks onto his opponents and fires more massive knees to their bodies, or elbows over the top of their guard. Clinching also ties up his opponent’s hands, keeping him safe from wild and looping punches.

This was a key factor in his victory over Kulabdam last May. Watch the video above to see how Nabil uses his height to push Kulabdam’s head down in the clinch, creating space for the powerful knees that ultimately finished the fight.

What’s Next For Nabil Anane? 

Nabil Anane is both figuratively and literally a towering presence in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai division. With his exceptional height, reach, and skill set, he has consistently proven his ability to outmaneuver opponents from range and dominate them in the clinch.

Having already made history as the youngest-ever WBC Muay Thai World Champion, Nabil has rebounded impressively from his loss to Superlek, defeating high-ranked opponents and solidifying his position as one of the top contenders.

With a five-fight win streak and victories over some of the division’s most seasoned fighters, it seems only a matter of time before Nabil earns his shot at a ONE Championship title. Whether fighting at range or in the clinch, this young star is a force to be reckoned with in the world of Muay Thai.

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