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Former ONE world champion Ilias Ennahachi has explained the importance of building his legacy.
Between 2019 and 2021, Ennahachi etched his name into ONE Championship by becoming the flyweight kickboxing world champion. The Moroccan striker left no doubt that he was the best in the division by securing wins against Petchdam, Wang Wenfeng, and current two-sport world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9.
Ennahachi returned in early 2023, this time at bantamweight. He continued his promotional success with a second-round knockout win over Aliasghar Ghodratisaraskan at ONE Friday Fights 6.
This Friday, Sept. 27, Ennahachi returns for his second kickboxing match in the ONE bantamweight division. The 28-year-old looks to make a massive statement at ONE Friday Fights 81, as he's been matched up against Hiroki Akimoto, a former world champion in the division.
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During an interview with the South China Morning Post, Ennahachi had this to say about what's most important in his fighting career moving forward:
"The title is very nice. The gold is very nice. But for me, what’s important is the respect [that comes with winning it] and the respect of my fans. I want to show my fans that this Moroccan heart is fighting not only for the gold, but also for his legacy."
ONE Friday Fights 81 goes down inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Friday's event featuring Hiroki Akimoto vs Ilias Ennahachi can be seen via pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.
Watch Ennahachi's entire interview with the South China Morning Post below:
Where does Ilias Ennahachi stand in the ONE bantamweight kickboxing division?
Ilias Ennahachi isn't ranked in the ONE bantamweight kickboxing division. That said, the 28-year-old's reputation as a former world champion, who also holds a win against the legendary two-sport king Superlek, ensures he has a strong presence in the title picture.
At ONE Friday Fights 81, Ennahachi has an opportunity to crack the top-five rankings, as he's facing the number two-ranked Hiroki Akimoto. Meanwhile, the only other fighter close to challenging Jonathan Haggerty for the division's strap is Wei Rui, who defeated Akimoto with a unanimous decision in May.
