Superlek And Liam Harrison Break Down Nico Carrillo Vs. Nabil Anane Muay Thai World Title Fight At ONE 170
The ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title will be up for grabs on January 24 in Bangkok, as #2-ranked contender Nico “King of the North” Carrillo takes on #5-ranked Nabil Anane in an explosive showdown at ONE 170.
The winner will secure 26 pounds of gold and a future World Title unification bout against reigning bantamweight Muay Thai kingpin “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9, who is currently sidelined due to injury.
Both Carrillo and Anane will come into the contest loaded with momentum and riding impressive winning streaks.
Naturally, the fight has garnered plenty of attention from fans around the globe, as well as some of Muay Thai’s most respected luminaries. Among those luminaries are Superlek and British legend Liam “Hitman” Harrison, who each spoke to onefc.com about this high-stakes showdown at Impact Arena.
Superlek: ‘It’s A Very Close Fight’
Well aware that whoever emerges victorious will be his next opponent, “The Kicking Machine” is keeping his cards close to his chest and isn’t about to give a definitive prediction.
Instead, he said that it’s a very even matchup – and that it’s unlikely to see the judges’ scorecards:
“For the fight between Nico and Nabil, I think it’s a very close fight. It’s a 50-50 chance for both of them to win, and I believe there’s a high probability of a knockout.”
Both Carrillo and Anane are proven finishers. “King of the North” has scored highlight-reel knockouts in all four of his ONE appearances, while his Thai-Algerian foe boasts a pair of impressive stoppages in the organization.
Stylistically, their attacks are quite different. In one corner, the Scotsman is a savage and relentless pressure fighter. In the other, the 6-foot-4 Anane possesses some of the sport’s most dangerous long-range weaponry and brutal knee strikes.
With that in mind, Superlek feels the fight has all the makings of a barnburner:
“Fans shouldn’t miss this fight at all because it’s going to be a great fight. It’s an Interim World Title fight, and both fighters are very dangerous right now. It’s definitely going to be exciting.”
Even though he couldn’t pick a winner, Superlek admits that he’d prefer to fight Carrillo next. That’s likely because he already holds a June 2023 knockout victory over Anane.
Still, the reigning World Champion will happily put his gold on the line against either contender next:
“Personally, I’m ready to fight either Nabil or Nico. But if I had to choose one, I’d pick Nico.”
Harrison Sides With Carrillo
Liam Harrison isn’t afraid to make a bold prediction about this ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title fight.
He’s quick to point out that despite Nabil Anane’s current five-fight winning streak – which includes victories over stars Muangthai PK Saenchai and Felipe Lobo – the 20-year-old phenom has competed just three times since moving up from flyweight to bantamweight.
Carrillo’s size and show-stopping power, Harrison said, will play a key factor in this battle:
“I see no way that Nabil wins this fight. He’s not been in the 145-pound division long enough to handle Nico’s power. He will have never been hit as hard as he’s about to get hit.
“His best wins have come at 135 pounds. Granted, he’s moved up and beat a legend like Muangthai and beat Felipe Lobo at 145 pounds, but none of these guys can hit the way Nico does.”
“Hitman” took his breakdown a step further. He said that Carrillo will deal with Anane’s incredible height and reach by first attacking his legs and then his body.
He also thinks that when Anane steps in with his trademark knees, “King of the North” will be able to counter-strike with thunderous punches:
“If he somehow manages to stand up to Nico’s attacks, fair play to him. But I do not see how he can handle it. I don’t see how he’ll cope. The way I see it, Nico will kick his legs to bits with leg kicks and going for his body. If Nabil comes inside to knee, Nico will step off and land big, flush hooks.”
While Harrison is confidently picking the 26-year-old Carrillo to win at ONE 170, he nonetheless thinks that Anane is well on his way toward becoming a ONE World Champion and a global superstar.
The English veteran added:
“I do want to make it clear that in another year or two when Nabil has more experience and grows into his body a bit … when he has more man strength, I think he’ll be a big problem in that division. I just think it’s a little bit too soon for him.”
