Superlek returns to Muay Thai

A pair of Thai superstars are set to return to action at ONE Lumpinee 22 on June 23.

ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 will return to his Muay Thai roots when he takes on French-Algerian-Thai teenage prodigy Nabil Anane at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao will lock horns with another former champ in Prajanchai PK Saenchai with the ONE interim strawweight Muay Thai world title on the line in the absence of injured divisional king Joseph Lasiri.

Superlek claimed kickboxing gold in January with a gruelling unanimous decision win over tough Spanish contender Daniel Puertas at ONE Fight Night 6.

The 27-year-old former four-time Muay Thai world champion was last seen notching his 133rd professional win and extending his current streak to five fights with a crushing knockout of Australia’s Danial Williams in the ONE Fight Night 8 main event.

This time, Superlek will face a young debutant that comes to ONE with a huge reputation.

Anane became the youngest WBC featherweight Muay Thai world champion in history in May 2022, before adding the WBC lightweight Muay Thai strap to his collection in February.

Still only 19 years old, the Team Mehdi Zatout star is a towering flyweight at six-foot-two and brings an impressive professional record of 33-4-1 to the biggest fight of his career.

Sam-A continues his return to the ONE ring following a two-year hiatus, as the 39-year-old Muay Thai legend looks for revenge against the man who took his ONE strawweight Muay Thai world title in 2021.

A veteran of more than 400 professional Muay Thai bouts, Sam-A defended his title on two occasions before falling to Prajanchai by unanimous decision at ONE: Battleground.

The decorated former champion returned to competition at ONE Lumpinee 9 in March, where he defeated Ireland’s Ryan Sheehan by second-round TKO.

Prajanchai relinquished the title in his first defence against Lasiri in 2022 but rebounded with an impressive unanimous decision win over former two-time Muay Thai world champion Kompetch Sitsarawatsuer earlier this year.

As previously announced for ONE Lumpinee 22, ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhullar will return to defend the title that he claimed back in May 2021.

“Singh” will face interim heavyweight king and ONE light heavyweight world champion Anatoly Malykhin in a blockbuster MMA contest.