Nabil Anane Battles Suakim At The Inner Circle 25, Felipe Lobo Draws Dmitrii Kovtun At ONE Fight Night 45
Former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane looks to pave his way back toward the summit, but on Friday, August 7, the towering Algerian-Thai faces a daunting challenge against a seasoned veteran storming toward the top with frightening momentum.
Anane will face former three-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Suakim Pongsuphan PK in a blockbuster bantamweight Muay Thai clash at The Inner Circle 25. The high-stakes event streams live in Asia primetime via live.onefc.com from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
This thrilling matchup adds even more firepower to a card already featuring the previously announced bantamweight Muay Thai rematch between Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev and reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion “The Kicking Machine” Superlek.
Suakim was originally scheduled to face Dmitrii “The Silent Assassin” Kovtun at ONE Fight Night 45 on July 17, but that matchup has since been reshuffled. The Russian standout will now face former two-time ONE World Title challenger Felipe “Demolition Man” Lobo on the U.S. primetime card.
Anane Begins His Climb Back Against Suakim’s Seven-Fight Surge
Anane’s promotional debut defeat to Superlek ultimately became the foundation for one of the fastest rises in recent Muay Thai history. Under the guidance of Team Mehdi Zatout, the 6-foot-4 phenom learned to maximize his extraordinary frame, using long punches and towering knees to attack from distances most bantamweights simply cannot match.
His major breakthrough arrived against Nico “King of the North” Carrillo at ONE 170, where Anane dropped the destructive Scotsman three times in the opening round to claim the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title. He then avenged his loss to Superlek at ONE 172, beautifully controlling the Thai icon with his length and knees to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Anane was later elevated to undisputed World Champion, completing his incredible journey from a debut defeat to the absolute king of the division.
However, Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon brought that historic reign to an abrupt end in the Algerian-Thai’s first World Title defense at The Inner Circle 7 this past March, claiming a unanimous decision after repeatedly disrupting the titleholder’s rhythm.
The 22-year-old now returns in the unfamiliar position of a former kingpin working his way back, and a victory over an opponent on Suakim’s trajectory would send a powerful message to the rest of the ranks.
While the PK Saenchai Muaythaigym representative has competed more than 200 times and captured Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Titles across three divisions, the seasoned veteran may now be producing the most threatening run of his entire career.
His resurgence reached a major milestone at ONE Friday Fights 100, where he stopped Komawut FA Group in the second round to earn a coveted ONE Championship main-roster contract. Suakim has since collected seven consecutive victories through a combination of suffocating pressure, destructive body attacks, slicing elbows, and relentless clinch work.
At ONE 173, the 30-year-old weathered Jake Peacock’s unpredictable offense before overwhelming the British-Canadian striker in the third round. He followed that spectacular finish with a commanding unanimous decision over Russian technician Vladimir Kuzmin at ONE Fight Night 42 this past April.
Suakim can now add a former ONE World Champion to his seven-fight surge and firmly establish himself as a genuine threat to the bantamweight elite. Meanwhile, Anane needs to prove that losing the belt marked only a temporary interruption in his championship journey.
Dmitrii Kovtun Draws Felipe Lobo At ONE Fight Night 45
With Suakim moving to the August blockbuster event, Kovtun will instead test his mettle against Lobo in a bantamweight Muay Thai firefight at ONE Fight Night 45. The event broadcasts live on Friday, July 17, in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.
Kovtun enters the matchup after successfully imposing his pressure and precision on Mohanad “Solo” Battbootti to earn a unanimous decision victory at ONE Fight Night 42. Now riding a two-fight winning streak, the surging Russian faces a significant step up in competition against Lobo — an experienced Brazilian who has shared the ring with several of the division’s biggest names.
The Phuket Fight Club representative will be highly determined to rebound after dropping a unanimous decision to Nontachai Jitmuangnon at ONE Fight Night 43 this past May.
Lobo has already challenged for ONE gold twice, and his power, durability, and top-level experience make him a dangerous test for Kovtun.
For the Russian, a victory over a proven former World Title challenger would instantly accelerate his rise through the division.
For Lobo, defeating one of bantamweight Muay Thai’s emerging threats would restore valuable momentum and move him one step closer to another run toward the top.
