“The only way forward is just to walk forward” - Superlek eager to move past humbling loss to Nabil Anane at ONE 172

Superlek isn't interested in looking back.

Instead, the reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion his looking forward following his disastrous loss against Nabil Anane at ONE 172.

Superlek delivered an uncharacteristically lackluster performance against the 6'4" Algerian-Thai sensation in Japan, punctuated by a massive weight miss 24 hours earlier.

As a result, 'The Kicking Machine' was stripped of his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title, ending his reign as a two-sport champion.

After surrendering a unanimous decision to Anane, Superlek refuses to focus on what went wrong. Instead, he's focusing on the future and a potential trilogy fight with Anane.

"I think preparation is part of it [me losing the fight vs Nabil Anane]," Superlek said in an interview with the South China Morning Post. "But you know it is what it is. I have already lost. I cannot give any excuses. It's only — you know, the only way forward is just to walk forward from here."

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Superlek wants a shot at redemption against Nabil Anane

While Superlek has not yet booked a return to the Circle, all signs point to a third showdown with Nabil Anane.

Not only would the fight serve as a rubber match between two of Muay Thai's top stars, but it would give 'The Kicking Machine' an opportunity to redeem himself and reclaim the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title he ultimately lost on the scale.

"I know myself that last time I did not do really well, and so I know that my performance was not where it should be," he added. "So I just want to rematch, as you said, to set things straight."

Is Superlek vs. Anane III the fight to make with both fighters going 1-1 against one another on martial arts' biggest global stage?

If you missed any of the action, you can watch the full ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang replay on demand via watch.onefc.com.