“My mental health wasn’t good” - Anissa Meksen says she just wasn’t herself in loss to Phetjeeja last year
Decorated Algerian-French kickboxing icon 'C18' Anissa Meksen has no excuses for her loss to 'The Queen' Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom last year.
Meksen dropped a five-round unanimous decision to Phetjeeja at ONE Friday Fights 46 last December 2023, after being dominated from start to end by her younger foe.
According to the 36-year-old veteran, her Thai counterpart won fair and square. However, the Korean Tiger Studios representative also says she simply had an 'off night' and that it will not happen again.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post in a recent interview, Meksen shed some light on her performance against Phetjeeja.
'C18' said:
"No, to be honest, I was in trouble during my training camp and my mental health wasn’t good for this fight. I don’t watch the fight because I know it’s not 'me', you know? And that’s why sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose."
Meksen added:
"But this is life. It’s something personal, so I don’t want to speak about this. But it’s life. Sometimes you need to be focused and sometimes you are just in trouble and it’s difficult to stay focused, simply."
Now that she's in the right head space, Meksen is looking to bounce back in a very big way as she attempts to win the ONE world title.
Anissa Meksen battles Jackie Buntan for inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing gold at ONE 169 on Prime Video
'C18' Anissa Meksen gets her second shot at immortality in the world's largest martial arts organization when she faces Filipina-American star Jackie Buntan for the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world title.
The two lock horns at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video, which broadcasts live in U.S. primetime from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, Nov. 8.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and free with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.