- In his promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 114, 18-year-old Yonis scored a hard-fought win over Liu Junchao
- Hours later Yonis' win, Nabil was elevated to undisputed ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion
- As Yonis climbs the ranks, chasing his own World Championship dreams, Nabil remains where he has always been – in his brother’s corner
The rhythmic thud of gloves smashing against the pads and the steady beat of skipping rope echo through the walls of the Anane household on the daily – the soundtrack of warriors in the making.
For reigning and undisputed ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane, there’s no one who understands this world better than his younger brother Yonis Anane.
The siblings have trained together for as long as they can remember, their countless hours in the gym forging something deeper than the blood they share – a relationship built on bruises, dedication, and dreams that extend far beyond the ring.
From childhood sparring sessions to the bright lights of the world’s largest martial arts organization, Yonis has been more than Nabil’s younger brother – he’s been his most trusted ally, the one person who’s witnessed every victory, every setback, and every moment that forged a World Champion.
The newly crowned king said:
“We’re like brothers and best friends. We motivate each other, just like friends.”
Their connection runs deeper than most brothers.
As children, they moved in perfect rhythm – morning training sessions followed by afternoon homework, sparring in the gym before wrestling over video game controllers at home.
Day after day, they mirrored each other’s routines until they could read each other’s thoughts with a glance. What started as two brothers sharing a bedroom evolved into two fighters who could anticipate each other’s every move, both in the ring and in life.
Nabil shared:
“When we were younger, we slept in the same room. Even now, we only separated our rooms about a few months ago. Before that, we always slept together. We do everything together. We’re very, very close. We know everything about each other.”
That childhood bond now fuels their professional careers. Even as Nabil dominates ONE Championship’s stacked bantamweight Muay Thai division, he views Yonis not as his younger brother, but as his equal.
Their parallel journeys began almost simultaneously, two kids stepping onto the same path with the same guidance and support, building identical dreams that would eventually take them both to the global stage.
He explained:
“We started everything at the same time. I was 11 and he was 8 when we started. Same training, same journey. My father was behind me, but also behind him. Everything is the same. He’s just a little younger and not as tall as me.
“My mom is like any mom – she didn’t want me to fight because she was scared. But my father was behind me. Even my little brother fights, so it was three against one. She couldn’t say anything because we all loved this sport. But she’s very supportive of us.”
‘He’s More Technical Than Me’ – Nabil Praises Young Brother Yonis
Nabil Anane has watched Yonis’ growth in “the art of eight limbs” with pride, noting that his younger brother brings a distinct fighting style to the ring.
Yonis fights with precision, sharp kicks, and smooth movement – the style that took him to become the youngest WBC Muay Thai World Champion.
Over countless training sessions, the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai king has seen how those qualities have become a trademark of Yonis’ approach, setting him apart from many fighters his age.
Nabil revealed:
“He’s more technical than me. He kicks well, and his movement is really good.
“He was very aggressive in his first fight. Now he’s more of a technical fighter, but recently, he’s started to be aggressive again. He can change his style depending on his opponent.”
That adaptability was on display when Yonis finally stepped onto the global stage.
In his promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 114 this past June, the 18-year-old scored a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Liu Junchao in a heated strawweight Muay Thai clash.
From the first bell, Yonis kept things measured – timing his counters to cut off Liu’s attacks, drawing him into overcommitting, then answering with stabbing knees in the clinch.
That night was big for the brothers.
While Yonis celebrated his breakthrough victory, Nabil was making history just hours later – officially elevated to undisputed ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion, shedding his interim status in front of the same roaring crowd.
Now, as Yonis climbs the ranks, chasing his own World Championship dreams in ONE, Nabil remains exactly where he has always been – in his brother’s corner.
Nabil said:
“Every time he needs help, I’m always there.”
