"He is still pretty much the same" - Superlek says Nabil Anane hasn't improved enough to beat him at ONE 172

As much as Nabil Anane believes that he has worked on the holes in his game to avenge his loss to Superlek Kiatmoo9 almost two years ago, the reigning two-sport world champion is not sold on those improvements. Superlek said this during his pre-fight interview with ONE Championship before he gets his hands on Anane for the second time around on March 23 at ONE 172 in Japan:

"I think it won't be that much more difficult than the last fight. As mentioned, I think he has improved on his physical condition and confidence. In terms of techniques, he is still pretty much the same."

'The Kicking Machine' wants to extend his incredible winning streak to 12 and successfully defend his 26-pound golden belt for the first time since capturing it in September 2024 at ONE 168: Denver. At ONE 172, Superlek will aim to reassert his mastery over the 20-year-old phenom.

Superlek reveals that Nabil Anane's strategy in their first fight was obvious

The Thai superstar also talked about Nabil Anane's predictability in their first meeting, especially the fight strategy that he wanted to impose and how he would use his physical attributes to his advantage.

With this in mind, the Kiatmoo9 Gym representative has capitalized on this and doubled down on his own strategy to get the victory, as he explained:

"In that fight, I was satisfied with my performance. Nabil didn't do anything to surprise me. He fought with the advantage of his longer reach, which was what I expected. Personally, I never feel pressured in every fight. Just ask Nabil if he feels pressure or not."

Fans can purchase the ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang PPV card via watch.onefc.com. The card will take place inside Saitama Super Arena in Japan on March 23.