Jonathan Haggerty Out, Nabil Anane To Move Up Against K-1 Legend At ONE 173
Nabil Anane watched his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title defense against Jonathan Haggerty disappear through injury complications, forcing the 21-year-old to choose between waiting months for rescheduling or accepting an even more dangerous challenge at a heavier weight against a newly signed knockout artist.
The 6-foot-4 Thai-Algerian phenom chose the latter. Rather than mourning his lost title opportunity, Anane immediately accepted a featherweight kickboxing clash with former three-time K-1 Champion Hiromi Wajima at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16 inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
The matchmaking carries significant risk. Anane’s September kickboxing debut against Ilias Ennahachi ended frustratingly through no contest after an accidental groin shot halted proceedings, though the reigning Muay Thai ruler had knocked down the former flyweight kickboxing king during a dominant performance before the unfortunate stoppage.
Now he faces an opponent whose 22-6 record carries an intimidating 82 percent knockout rate. Wajima claimed the K-1 Super Welterweight Title through December 2021 destruction of longtime rival Minoru Kimura in their trilogy bout, defending that crown twice before losing it and rebounding through a current two-fight winning streak.
The 30-year-old Japanese star’s promotional debut offers immediate rankings opportunity, creating maximum motivation to announce his ONE Championship arrival through spectacular finish of a reigning champion who dominates one discipline while exploring another.
For Anane, the weight jump represents natural progression rather than reckless ambition. His towering frame has always suggested future campaigns at higher divisions once he conquered bantamweight territory, and his rapid ascent has accelerated those plans beyond normal timelines.
His promotional journey began disastrously through — a June 2023 defeat against pound-for-pound great Superlek at flyweight. Moving to bantamweight transformed everything. He scored five consecutive victories and in January knocked out Nico Carrillo for interim Muay Thai gold, followed by a March revenge against Superlek.
That remarkable redemption arc now extends into heavier territory where physical advantages diminish against naturally larger opponents carrying devastating finishing power. Yet Anane’s courage matches his ambition, accepting whatever challenges materialize rather than waiting for perfect circumstances that rarely arrive.
His willingness to step up on short notice against a dangerous debutant showcases the fearless mentality that separates champions from contenders.
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