Former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane is ready to add a thrilling new chapter to his growing martial arts legacy, officially confirming his bid to earn a coveted spot on Thailand’s national boxing team for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.
The 22-year-old phenom made the massive announcement at a special press conference held at Evolve MMA in Bangkok, Thailand, this past Friday, August 14. The historic event also served to formally unveil a groundbreaking collaboration between ONE Championship, the Thailand Boxing Association, and the National Olympic Committee of Thailand.
Anane was prominently joined on stage by ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, Thailand Boxing Association president Pichai Chunhavajira, Thai Olympic Committee president Pimol Srivikorn, boxing technical chairman Pol Gen Samran Nualma, and ONE Thailand President Jitinat Asdamongkol to mark the occasion.
The towering striker has his eyes firmly set on competing at either 65 kilograms or 70 kilograms as he formally enters Thailand’s rigorous official selection process. Notably, he fully intends to continue competing under the ONE banner throughout the early stages of his Olympic campaign, rather than stepping away from Muay Thai entirely.
A highly coveted spot on the national team is far from guaranteed, however, with Anane still needing to battle his way through the country’s established qualification pathway just like any other Olympic hopeful.
The “sweet science” is not foreign territory for the Algerian-Thai star, who also once proudly held the accolade of being the youngest-ever WBC Muay Thai World Champion — a prestigious record only recently broken by his own younger brother, Yonis Anane.
The striking prodigy trained extensively in boxing as a teenager before ultimately dedicating his athletic focus entirely to Muay Thai, a pivotal decision that eventually shaped him into one of the global stage’s most dangerous athletes. Now, that exact same imposing 6-foot-4 frame and massive reach — long considered some of his sharpest physical tools inside the ring — could seamlessly translate into a genuine advantage under boxing rules, provided he successfully clears the difficult road ahead.
Chatri Sityodtong has thrown his full support behind Anane’s Olympic ambitions, proudly backing the young martial artist’s pursuit as the latest phase in an already highly accomplished career. Carefully guiding him through this exciting new transition alongside that immense backing is his longtime coach and manager, Mehdi Zatout.
While Anane certainly has a long, arduous road ahead to reach LA28, it is a challenge the former divisional king seems more than ready to tackle head-on.
Check out the pictures from the press conference at Evolve MMA in Bangkok on Friday, August 14:
