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French kickboxing sensation and newly crowned ONE lightweight kickboxing world champion Alexis Nicolas pulled off an upset for the ages when he overthrew his division's long-reigning king, Regian 'The Immortal' Eersel, at ONE Fight Night 21 last week.
What's even more impressive is the fact that Nicolas snapped Eersel's 22-fight winning streak in his second fight in the promotion. 'Barboza' had to dig deep and showcase tremendous intestinal fortitude to deal with the pressing attacks of Eersel.
During his post-event media scrum, Alexis Nicolas alluded to his tough upbringing as the main source of grit for him inside the ring:
“I’m different by my life. I'm not just a fighter, I am a man with a big history. I saw a lot of hard things in my life. My past [led me to where I am now] and I have a good education.”
Nothing breeds strong men more than tough times. Most world champions are hardened by their rough lives and Nicolas showed the mettle of a man who's seen some times in life.
Alexis Nicolas versus Regian Eersel play-by-play
Right at the bell, Alexis Nicolas came out aggressive, hitting Eersel with leg kicks. Eersel used his length to land hard punches as a reply.
In the second round, Eersel looked to establish his signature aggressive pressure but paid for it, as Nicolas landed a flush right hand that knocked the then-world champion down.
'The Immortal' tried to press the action to make up for the flash knockdown but was slightly out-gunned by the challenger, who landed the more significant shots in the round.
The third round was razor-close, with both fighters landing combinations in the center of the ring. Eersel, however, was largely the aggressor while Alexis Nicolas answered every shot he threw.
In the championship rounds, Eersel kept on being the aggressor, increasing the pressure as the fight grew longer. Nicolas wasn't going to fold, however, as he tried to answer 'The Immortal' with his significant blows, despite visibly fading.
In the end, Eersel wasn't able to do enough to make up for the early knockdown as the judges awarded the belt to Nicolas after five rounds.
The replay of ONE Fight Night 21 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
