“I really shocked the world” - Nabil Anane proud to silence his doubters in emphatic KO over Nico Carrillo

ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nabil Anane is proud of what he was able to accomplish in his last match as he got to prove his doubters wrong.

The 20-year-old Algerian-Thai phenom added his name to ONE Championship's roster of champions by becoming the interim bantamweight Muay Thai title holder with a first-round TKO of erstwhile streaking Nico Carrillo of Scotland last January.

In an interview with the promotion, Anane shared what he felt by notching the big win over 'The King of the North,' considering not many gave him enough chance to come out triumphant in the match.

The Team Mehdi Zatout standout said:

"I cannot describe the feeling that I had. But it was a good feeling because I was the underdog. And everyone thought I would lose, you know, by knockout. But I really shocked the world. And that's it."

Against Carrillo, Nabil Anane made full use of his reach advantage to dominate his opponent.

Anane landed a one-two combination early in the opening canto to send Carrillo to the canvas for the first time. The latter managed to beat the count, only to find himself back on the mat seconds later after absorbing a solid kick to the head. Everything came to an end with 25 seconds to go in the first round when the 6-foot-4 Anane scored on a right hand for the third and final knockdown.

The win was the sixth straight for Anane, who has grown significantly as a fighter from when he made his ONE debut in June 2023.

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Nabil Anane out to continue showcasing his growth as a fighter at ONE 172

The same growth as a fighter is what Nabil Anane is looking to continue showcasing when he returns to action later this month in Japan.

The interim bantamweight Muay Thai world champion will try to unify the division's championship belts when he battles reigning divisional king Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang on March 23 at the Saitama Super Arena.

It is a rematch of Nabil Anane's first encounter with 'The Kicking Machine' in his ONE debut in June 2023, where he lost by knockout in the opening round.

In an interview with the promotion, the towering fighter shared that he is a different fighter now when he took on Superlek for the first time, saying:

"Two years ago, I didn't know nothing about small [4-ounce] gloves. I didn't have this experience. I'm totally different. Very different."

Superlek-Anane II is one of five world title fights on offer at ONE 172, which is available live on pay-per-view via watch.onefc.com.