Ilias Ennahachi willing to put friendship with Petchtanong aside if they collide for ONE gold: “When we fight, it’s business”

Ilias Ennahachi will go through anyone to get ahold of the ONE bantamweight kickboxing world championship—even if that means going through one of his best friends.

The former ONE flyweight kickboxing king will make his bantamweight debut this Friday night when he meets another former ONE Championship titleholder, Hiroki Akimoto, at ONE Friday Fights 81 inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Should Ennahachi come out on top, he'll trust himself into the bantamweight top five, putting him on a potential collision course with the division's third-ranked contender, Petchtanong Petchfergus, who just happens to be a good friend of his.

Asked about a potential clash between the two, Ennahachi made it clear that what happens inside the ring stays in the ring and will have zero effect on their relationship.

Ennahachi told the South China Morning Post:

"It’s still a fight. Everybody wants the title. Petchtanong is a very good guy, we speak a lot on Instagram together. But when we fight, it’s business. After the fight, we are friends. So, if I need to fight him to get to the title, I must fight him because I want the title. I want the credits."

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Ilias Ennahachi's next fight

Before Ilias Ennahachi can focus on a potential showdown with Petchtanong, he'll have to be on his A-game when he meets a dangerous fighter desperately looking for a win on martial arts' biggest global stage.

Once the ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion, Hiroki Akimoto has found himself in an unfamiliar position, losing back-to-back bouts against the aforementioned Petchtanong and Chinese standout Wei Rui.

Still holding strong as the second-ranked bantamweight contender, Akimoto is determined to land a big win over another former titleholder and potentially book himself a date with the division's top dog, Jonathan Haggerty.

Who leaves with their hand raised and a potential title opportunity in The Land of Smiles?

ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live and exclusively on pay-per-view on Friday, September 27 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. You can purchase the event exclusively on the official ONE Championship website.