“I paid a massive price” - Nico Carrillo admits the fatal flaw that led to his disappointing title loss to Nabil Anane
Second-ranked ONE Championship bantamweight Muay Thai contender and former ONE world title challenger 'King of the North' Nico Carrillo of Scotland came into his latest fight full of confidence, almost sure he would win.
But the 26-year-old Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy product was humbled in defeat against 20-year-old phenom Nabil Anane.
The two met at the recently concluded ONE 170 card in Bangkok, where they competed for the ONE interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title.
Addressing fans on his official Instagram account, Carrillo pointed to struggles with weight and hydration, particularly in meeting the bantamweight limit, as the culprit for his lackluster performance.
'King of the North' said:
"For the last three weeks to four weeks, it became about the biggest fight was actually the fight on the scales rather than the fight itself. I’d dieted all the same and done everything I was meant to do, but my body just wasn’t allowing the weight to come off. In the end, I forced it off, and I feel like I paid a massive price for that."
ONE 170 was broadcast live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, last Friday, January 24. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action via replay on-demand on watch.onefc.com.
Nico Carrillo ready to move up to featherweight to continue world title conquest: "I will get that gold"
Despite the loss, 'King of the North' Nico Carrillo remains in good spirits, and is still motivated to capture the ONE Championship gold eventually. However, it may have to be at featherweight, as the 26-year-old plans on moving up in a division.
He said:
"I will get that gold, still. That was just a tell-tale sign that thing that it wasn’t meant to be at that weight. And at the end of the day, health is the most important thing in one’s life. I’ve put my body through that again. So, just 155 now and that won’t ever happen again."
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Nico Carrillo's next fight.