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ONE Championship has always delivered on its promise of intense action during its fight cards, and the bout between Nieky Holzken and Arian Sadikovic is perfect for that billing.
Holzken and Sadikovic are top stars in their respective generations, and their lightweight kickboxing matchup at ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video has huge implications for the division.
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Both fighters have challenged two-sport world champion Regian Eersel for the ONE lightweight kickboxing world title in the past, and a win for either could push them closer to another world title shot.
Before ONE Fight Night 11 goes live on Friday, US primetime, at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Sportskeeda MMA’s ONE Championship team has analyzed and given their prediction for this all-important matchup.
The entire ONE Fight Night 11 card will be broadcast live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.
James De Rozario: Nieky Holzken by second-round TKO
It's going to be a tight slugfest between these two warriors, but I'll go with Nieky Holzken for this one.
Both men are on a mission to establish themselves as a favorite to Eersel's throne, and Holzken's experience could see him come out on top.
The Dutchman's ability to press forward behind his slick boxing could prove to be the decisive factor, especially against an attacking unit like the German.
Sadikovic will be looking to make a statement inside the Thai capital, but that might just walk him into one of Holzken's trademark weapons inside the second round.
He might just survive the first knockdown, though. However, Holzken would jump at the opportunity to send him down twice to deal the TKO victory.
Mike Murillo: Nieky Holzken by decision
Nieky Holzken against Arian Sadikovic is a tough one as both fighters have the power and the technique to score an explosive victory at a snap of a finger. Just look at how reigning ONE lightweight kickboxing world champion Regian Eersel had a hard time against them in separate fights.
But having the need to decide, I will give it to Holzken, who I see winning by unanimous decision.
‘The Natural’ has a lot of experience going for him and at this point of his career has that sense of urgency to get things done now which should be a good-enough motor to propel him over Sadikovic.
Let me say though that it will not be a walk in the park for Holzken as a slip-up here and there could easily swing the tide in Sadikovic’s favor.
I expect it to be a fun fight with a lot of standout moments to add to one’s highlight reel.
Ted Razon: Arian Sadikovic by decision
It’s never easy to go against a fan favorite like Nieky Holzken, but I do believe his best days are behind him. At 39 years old, ‘The Natural’ has constantly talked about riding off into the sunset in the build-up to this fight, which is never a good sign.
While I don’t question his world-class striking skills, I’m not sure where he’s head at is these days, especially after that devastating KO loss to Sinsamut in his last fight.
It remains to be seen if it will have lingering effects this coming Friday, but then again, his opponent is no slouch either.
Holzken will be up against a much younger foe looking to use him as his stepping stone to a rematch with Regian Eersel.
Let’s not forget Sadikovic is the only challenger to give ‘The Immortal’ quite the scare throughout his lengthy reign.
Holzken will still have his moments, particularly with his Dutch style of punch combinations and lethal low kicks, where he truly excels.
However, I expect ‘Game Over’ to come out sharper and unleash his explosive power that threatened the great Eersel.
Vince Richards: Nieky Holzken by decision
Nieky Holzken is an absolute legend in the sport of kickboxing, and he’s proven time and again that he’s still one of the best there is whenever he gets to lace up the gloves.
Arian Sadikovic, however, is no ordinary foe. The German star is one of the most fearsome strikers on the planet right now and he was able to show his grit when he challenged Regian Eersel for the ONE lightweight kickboxing world title in April 2022.
Though he ultimately lost via unanimous decision, Sadikovic’s display was more than enough to put the whole sport on notice.
Nevertheless, Holzken has no problems rising to whatever occasion he’s called in. The 39-year-old has four wins in ONE Championship with three of those ending in a knockout.
It’ll be interesting to see how this match plays out, but I see this one going the distance with Holzken using his veteran wits to outsmart Sadikovic every step of the way.
Sadikovic may have the power, but that won’t mean anything if he can’t set it up against Holzken’s wily game plan.
