"Sailom Adee," a former Thai national amateur boxer who participated in three Olympic Games, points out that "Nabil" boxing for the Thai national team is a promising option.
On 13 August 2026, regarding the case of "Nabil Anan," a Thai boxer from ONE Championship and former bantamweight world champion, who has agreed to enter the selection for the 2028 Olympic amateur boxing team representing Thailand. An official press conference is scheduled for Friday, 14 August.
"Sailom Adee," a former Thai national amateur boxer who competed in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics, shared his thoughts on the news about Nabil:
"From my perspective, it’s a positive development. It reflects the association's approach to scouting athletes. We already follow such a system, but there are athletes still developing who may not yet be ready. So it’s good to open opportunities for professional Thai boxers or anyone else to serve the nation."
"Of course, Nabil must prove himself. It’s not that he will automatically go to the Olympics just by joining. He has to enter through the system, undergo training, and be tested to see if he can improve within a set time frame. This evaluation happens at each stage. He must pass qualifying rounds in each zone and follow the event’s regulations."
"I see that if Nabil competes, he would likely fight in the 65 or 70-kilogram class. We currently lack athletes in that category, so this aligns with the association’s plan to find new athletes."
"It will certainly be a test for Nabil to see if he can overcome this, as he has never competed in amateur boxing before. He has experience in Muay Thai, which differs from amateur boxing in many ways, including wearing shoes and focusing solely on punching. Muay Thai involves punches, kicks, knees, and elbows, so fighters must defend against all."
"But in amateur boxing, you wear shoes and must move in and out quickly. The footwork and movement techniques require adjustment, which Nabil will need to train for. It’s not like he can come in without training and immediately compete."
When asked about Nabil’s height of 192 centimeters and his very long reach, and whether this would give him an advantage, Sailom replied:
"Is it an advantage? Not always. Smaller, more agile opponents might have the edge. It’s not always the taller fighter who benefits. It depends on technique and strategy for that particular match or moment. It’s about in-ring tactical adjustments."
"If skill levels are similar, then it comes down to strength, power, and ring IQ. Nabil might have those qualities or already possess good strength."
"I believe it’s neither an advantage nor disadvantage outright. It depends on technique and fight planning."