ONE Championship: Nabil Anane to face Hiromi Wajima at ONE 173 after injury pull-out
Towering Muay Thai world champion switches to kickboxing and moves to featherweight after Jonathan Haggerty’s late withdrawal
Nabil Anane was ready to defend his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title against Jonathan Haggerty at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on Sunday – a dream match-up between two of the most exciting strikers in the sport. But when Haggerty withdrew through injury, the plan changed overnight.
Instead, the 21-year-old Thai-Algerian phenom will now face Japan’s Hiromi Wajima under kickboxing rules at featherweight at ONE 173: Superbon vs Noiri. It is a major test for Anane, who stands 1.93 metres tall (six feet, four inches) and is already regarded as one of the most gifted young talents in world Muay Thai.
“I’ve been preparing myself for two months, I’m not injured, and I don’t want to pull out,” Anane told the Post. “I just want to fight. This is one of the biggest cards of the year and I didn’t want to miss it.”
The switch in opponent and discipline could unsettle many fighters, but Anane has taken it in stride. He has already shown promise in kickboxing, and the move up to featherweight allows him to compete without a strict weight cut.
“There are many changes,” he said. “Different rules, different division, different opponent. But I’ve got this.”
Tokyo holds a special meaning for Anane, who has a growing fan base in Japan and an affection for its culture, and he has previously walked out dressed as One Piece’s Monkey D Luffy.