This Sunday, March 23, reigning two-sport, two-weight king and interim bantamweight Muay Thai titleholder will collide in a ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title unification bout that represents the absolute pinnacle of the sport.
The pound-for-pound great and the young interim king will rematch at this Sunday's blockbuster event in Japan.
This Sunday, March 23, reigning two-sport, two-weight king and interim bantamweight Muay Thai titleholder will collide in a ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title unification bout that represents the absolute pinnacle of the sport.
Set to go down at the massive inside Japan바카라s iconic Saitama Super Arena, that will mark the second meeting between these superstar strikers.
They first squared off in June 2023 at when Anane made his hotly anticipated ONE debut at just 19 years old. That night, Superlek unleashed a fury of offense early in the bout, scoring a stunning first-round stoppage.
Since then, the young Thai-Algerian phenom has rattled off six straight wins against top-flight competition, most recently starching Scotland바카라s to claim the interim crown and secure this rematch with 바카라The Kicking Machine.바카라
Ahead of their epic rematch at ONE 172, we dive into each man바카라s biggest keys to victory.
Standing at a towering 6-foot-4, it바카라s no small secret that Anane is most effective when he can maintain the distance and fire off his venomous long-range weapons.
In his loss to Superlek, though, he allowed himself to be consistently backed against the ropes, where his foe could engage in close-range warfare, ultimately leading to the early knockout.
A true student of the game, in his footwork and ring generalship since then, rarely finding himself trapped against the ropes and consistently controlling the center of the ring 바카라 an approach he must follow in order to even the score.
While 바카라The Kicking Machine바카라 is a true offensive dynamo capable of overwhelming the planet바카라s best strikers, he바카라d be wise to take a more patient, counter-striking approach against Anane.
Because the interim king is so tall and possesses such a significant reach advantage, Superlek will likely struggle to lead the dance and land strikes if he바카라s the first fighter to attack. Instead, he should wait for Anane to open up, then use that opportunity to close the distance and unload counter-strikes.
Look for the pound-for-pound great to employ plenty of fakes and feints to draw out attacks from his foe before pouncing with counters 바카라 whether it be punches, kicks, knees, or even elbow strikes in close.
A well-versed striker at all ranges, Anane can certainly do it all, but his single most dangerous weapons are arguably his knee strikes.
Given his insane height, the youngster바카라s knees are particularly potent and versatile, as he바카라s able to easily land them on his opponent바카라s head from both long-range and in the clinch.
Those brutal knee strikes should play a key role in Anane바카라s game plan at ONE 172. Not only will they rack up big damage every time they land, but they could also dissuade Superlek from dipping his head or rushing in too quickly.
The 29-year-old Thai is known as 바카라The Kicking Machine바카라 for good reason: He owns one of the best overall kicking games ever seen in Muay Thai.
Just as he did in their first encounter, Superlek will likely look to hammer his foe바카라s long, thin legs with punishing kicks early and often. And, if their first fight was any indication, these leg kicks could add up quickly and potentially lead to another knockout.
Fans should expect Superlek to employ both inside and outside leg kicks to slow Anane바카라s movement, help close the distance, and set up the finish as the fight progresses.