WATCH: Superlek erases height disadvantage, chops 6-foot-4 Nabil Anane down in clinical KO win
Superlek Kiatmoo9 rudely welcomed Nabil Anane in ONE Championship when he defeated him during their flyweight Muay Thai match at ONE Friday Fights 22 in June 2023 with a first-round knockout.
The best moments of Superlek during the match were recently reported by the promotion on Instagram, and they captioned the post with:
"When height is no obstacle 🥊 Is Superlek on track to secure the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship at ONE 168: Denver? @superlek789"
The massive height difference was evident during the official face-offs, with Anane bringing his full 6-foot-4 frame into the match. But 'The Kicking Machine' was unfazed and proceeded to the match with massive confidence.
Superlek immediately gauged the distance right from the opening bell by firing a left kick that backed off the 20-year-old phenom. Then, the current ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion slowly chopped him down with powerful leg kicks that greatly affected his movement.
This strategy by Superlek paid off because he not only eliminated the height and reach advantages of the young Algerian-Thai contender but also found the finish in the opening round with a knockout finish.
Rodtang Jitmuangnon expects a hard fight for Superlek against Jonathan Haggerty at ONE 168: Denver
Superlek is now at the end of his preparation for the megafight with Jonathan Haggerty on Sept. 6 at ONE 168: Denver at the Ball Arena in Colorado, and in the eyes of reigning ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon, he will have a difficult match with 'The General'.
He shared this sentiment during a recent interview with Sportskeeda MMA and explained:
"Superlek's biggest advantages are many. He's never been knocked out, he's hardly ever been knocked down, maybe just two or three times in his career. And he's great at fighting clever without putting himself at unnecessary risk. But it's not gonna be easy for him this time. Haggerty is huge, and has great power."
ONE 168: Denver will emanate from the Ball Arena in Colorado during U.S. primetime on Sept. 6. Tickets for the event are available on Ticketmaster.