Nabil Anane speaks on training through Ramadan for the biggest fight of his young career

Modified Apr 19, 2025 02:19 GMT

Nabil Anane admitted that he didn't plan on fighting during Ramadan.

On March 23, Anane faced the toughest challenge of his fighting career, a Muay Thai bout against former bantamweight champion Superlek. The matchup was initially supposed to unify the division's world title before Superlek missed weight and failed his hydration test, forcing him to vacate his throne.

The fight week shakeup wasn't the only adversity Anane had to overcome. The 20-year-old was in the middle of Ramadan, a Muslim tradition where they can't consume water or food from sunrise to sunset.

During a video posted on Sinsamut Klinmee's YouTube channel, Anane had this to say about fighting at ONE 172 during Ramadan:

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"It was also Ramadan, so I didn't initially plan to want to have a fight. Regarding my religion, this is a personal matter. But from a religious perspective, I didn't want to take the fight, but I took it because it was already here. I didn't want to wait, reject it, or ruin the chance."

Nabil Anane capitalized on the opportunity to showcase his fighting skills against Superlek, securing a unanimous decision win. Anane remained the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai champion due to Superlek's disastrous weigh-in day.

Watch the previously mentioned video posted on Sinsamut Klinmee's YouTube channel below:

Nabil Anane destined for trilogy bout against Superlek

Nabil Anane made his ONE Championship debut against Superlek in June 2023. Anane gained invaluable experience at ONE Friday Fights 22, with Superlek emerging victorious by first-round knockout.

Since then, Anane has moved up from the flyweight division to bantamweight. The 20-year-old has won seven consecutive fights, including three inside the distance.

Later this year, Superlek and Anane are expected to fight in a must-see trilogy bout for the undisputed bantamweight Muay Thai world title. Superlek is also responsible for defending his flyweight kickboxing strap.

Before losing against Anane, Superlek held an undefeated promotional Muay Thai record of 11-0, including wins against Rodtang, Kongthoranee, and Jonathan Haggerty.

Superlek plans to bounce back against Anane in their trilogy bout, claiming he wasn't fully prepared for the rematch at ONE 172.

Watch the entire rematch between Anane and Superlek below:

About the author

Jake Foley is a journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in covering all forms of combat sports, including MMA, Boxing, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. His passion is ignited by the exceptional fusion of physical and mental skills demanded by world-class fighters in these sports. Jake is captivated by the intricate mix of fierce determination and a modest mindset exhibited by athletes in these disciplines. He also finds the atmosphere of major championships, like the epic clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, truly unparalleled.

Jake has earned his UFC credentials to cover the major events for Sportskeeda and has conducted several interviews.

Jake supports various teams across several professional sports, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Inter Miami, Norwich City, Miami Marlins, and Las Vegas Golden Knights. The sports moment Jake will never forget is Jon Jones dismantling Vladimir Matyushenko.

Since joining the SportsKeeda team, Jake has written 400 articles covering several MMA promotions, including the UFC and ONE Championship. He continues to work hard to maintain his journalistic integrity and tell the stories of fighters worldwide.

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Edited by C. Naik