Nabil Anane Outpoints Yoza, Eyes Kickboxing Title Shot

Nabil Anane snapped a two-fight skid and made a case for a shot at the ONE bantamweight kickboxing title by outpointing Yuki Yoza via unanimous decision at ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

The win was the 42nd of Anane's professional career and carried extra weight given who was standing across from him. Yoza had taken ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty the full five rounds at ONE SAMURAI 1 less than six months earlier, a showing that made him a credible litmus test for anyone angling toward title contention. Anane passed it by working behind range in the opening round with knees to the body, then holding off a late push from Yoza, who leaned on calf kicks in rounds two and three.

Did Yuki Yoza close the gap late against Nabil Anane?

Nabil Anane says no, flatly rejecting the idea that Yoza's calf-kick adjustment shifted the fight. "The third round, I know I won. I was just being careful. I didn't want to get knocked down or something. Nothing was wrong with the third round or the first or second," Anane said. He added that Yoza's approach was nothing new. "The fight was the same as I was doing sparring in training. I am used to training with many people. They come at me, they try to do calf kicks. Everything worked well."

What's next for Nabil Anane in the kickboxing title picture?

Nabil Anane's win over Yuki Yoza puts him in the conversation for a run at Jonathan Haggerty's bantamweight kickboxing title, since Haggerty needed five rounds to beat the same opponent Anane just handled clean. Haggerty stayed busy on the same card, stopping Hiroki Akimoto to retain his belt later that night. Anane, who trains out of Venum Training Camp and Team Mehdi Zatout, treats kickboxing as secondary to his main focus in Muay Thai, and he's also eyeing a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in boxing for Thailand. Asked how he balances those three disciplines, he deferred to his corner rather than stake a claim himself. "It depends on the team, my team and our team. Whatever comes, I'll take it. I'll never deny anything. I always accept everything. So, I guess time [will tell]," Anane said.

Betting Angle

Anane snapping a two-fight slide against a guy who gave the champion trouble is the kind of form bettors should file away before ONE books its next bantamweight kickboxing title fight. If Anane does get the call against Haggerty, expect him to open as the underdog given Haggerty's championship pedigree and finishing ability, but the fact that Anane solved a problem Haggerty needed five rounds to handle gives him more credibility than a typical first-time challenger. Until that fight is actually made, there's no live number to react to, but this result is the kind of data point that moves a fighter up a promotion's internal rankings and should tighten the market whenever the pairing is official.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who did Nabil Anane beat at ONE SAMURAI 4?

Nabil Anane defeated Yuki Yoza by unanimous decision in a bantamweight kickboxing bout at ONE SAMURAI 4 on October 17 in Tokyo, Japan.

Why does Nabil Anane's win over Yuki Yoza matter for the title picture?

Yuki Yoza had taken ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty the distance at ONE SAMURAI 1, so Nabil Anane's decisive win over him strengthens his case as a potential future title challenger.

Is Nabil Anane focused only on kickboxing?

No, Nabil Anane considers Muay Thai his primary discipline and has also expressed interest in competing in boxing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics for Thailand.