Nabil Anane Makes Good On Promise After Defeat At The Inner Circle 25
A promise made in jest has a funny way of becoming real the moment things go wrong.
Nabil Anane dropped a close split decision to three-division Lumpinee Stadium World Champion Suakim Pongsuphan PK in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title eliminator headlining The Inner Circle 25 this past Friday, August 7. The defeat, his second in a row, arrived on the back of a second-round knockdown from a left hook and knee that proved decisive on the judges’ scorecards despite a hard-charging Anane surge in the third and final round.
True to a lighthearted vow he made before the fight, the 22-year-old shaved his head clean the moment the result was official.
“Yes guys, I’m alright. I’m home now. I just lost my fight against Suakim. Anyway, before the fight, I said I’d shave my head if I lost. Although I meant it as a joke at first. But let’s just ‘break the curse,'” he said.
“Thank you all for the support. Congratulations to Suakim on his victory. I’ll be back soon. I still have plenty of time. See you guys.”
That kind of grace under pressure has become something of a signature for the towering Thai-Algerian, even as his path back to undisputed gold has grown noticeably longer. Suakim’s win puts him directly in line for a shot at reigning champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon, the same fighter who dethroned Anane back in March.
Anane still owns every physical gift that made him champion in the first place, from his six-foot-four frame to knockout power in all eight limbs. Suakim, for his part, also walked away from Lumpinee Stadium with a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for his efforts. What Anane takes from this latest setback next will say plenty about the fighter he becomes on the other side of it.
For now, a shaved head and a lighter mood suggest a man in no rush to sulk, even with the road back to the top starting from further away than before.
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