Nabil Anane names the two bantamweights he’s looking forward to fighting in 2026

The 21-year-old ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane produced an incredible undefeated run across two striking disciplines throughout 2025. He conquered the Muay Thai world while chasing an even larger ambition to become the king of martial arts across multiple sports and divisions.

Anane clinched the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title before elevation to undisputed status through stellar performances against elite opposition. His journey started with a promotional debut that lasted just two minutes when pound-for-pound great Superlek stopped him in their flyweight Muay Thai encounter in 2023.

Rather than folding under the setback, Anane went back to work. He addressed weaknesses, sharpened strengths, and rebuilt with patience. The result was remarkable: an undefeated run from flyweight to featherweight across eight appearances in Muay Thai and kickboxing.

He defeated knockout artist Nico Carrillo in round one to claim interim gold in 2025. Then he overcame Superlek to reach undisputed status. The Team Mehdi Zatout representative transitioned into bantamweight kickboxing and dominated former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Ilias Ennahachi before an unfortunate no contest. Following that, he moved up to featherweight to overwhelm former K-1 Champion Hiromi Wajima across three rounds.

“If I can do the same thing as 2025, it would be great. There is no secret to my success. I’ll just continue to work hard and have discipline all the time — that’s it. It’s easy to know how, but it’s hard to do,” he said.

“I’ll just continue working hard. Behind the scenes, behind all the victories, it’s always very hard. There are always some small problems every time. You just have to surpass them, and good things will come after.”

Nabil Anane targets Jonathan Haggerty and Yuki Yoza

After proving himself as the top force in Muay Thai, Nabil Anane sets his sights on adding another gold strap in kickboxing. That ambition naturally brings him toward reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty, who has long stood at the opposite end of the division’s striking spectrum.

Anane was initially scheduled to face the British superstar at ONE 173 last November for his Muay Thai crown, but injury forced Haggerty to withdraw from their highly anticipated clash. Still, the Algerian-Thai remains open to the matchup in either Muay Thai or kickboxing. He’s already given thought to how that fight might unfold.

Widely regarded as one of the U.K.’s most dangerous strikers, Haggerty has consistently brought chaos whenever he steps into the ring. The former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai ruler extended his dominance after moving up in weight, highlighted by a stunning first-round finish of longtime bantamweight king Nong-O Hama in April 2023.

“Next year, I can fight anyone, just for experience. It’s good because I need more experience in kickboxing also. Now I’m not even in the rankings yet, so I can fight anyone,” he said. “But it makes sense to fight for a [Kickboxing World Title]. I’m a champ, you know, so I think I don’t need to be in the rankings.

“I think it’s just Haggerty left [in Muay Thai]. Let’s see. I also want to see what happens [when I fight Haggerty]. He has good footwork, he has good elbows, and good punches. It really depends on the moment and how the fight goes. Maybe my style matches with his style. Superlek’s style matches with his style and he doesn’t like Superlek’s style. It just really depends on the fighter and how things go in the ring.”

Beyond Haggerty, Anane has also turned attention to Japanese standout Yuki Yoza, a fighter who surged through 2025 with a string of statement victories. The former K-1 Champion defeated Elbrus Osmanov, Petchtanong Petchfergus, and Superlek, establishing himself as a frontrunner for a future showdown with Haggerty.

“I don’t know what to say [about Yoza’s performances]. I haven’t seen things that impressed me in his style of fighting. He’s strong, yes, that’s what is impressive. But he hasn’t fought someone like me who is really hard to deal with and keeps distance well. Let’s see if he has a chance,” he said. “He’s been talking a lot also, and sometimes it annoys me. Let’s see if he can break my leg.”