"He doesn't get to decide" - Alexis Nicolas claps back at Regian Eersel's claim that he's not a true champion

ONE lightweight kickboxing world champion Alexis Nicolas didn't take too kindly to Regian Eersel's most recent comments about his title reign.

'Barboza' ended 'The Immortal's perfect run in ONE Championship and unseated him as the king of the 170-pound kickboxing division at ONE Fight Night 21 last April.

The Frenchman connected on a crushing right hook that floored Eersel in round 2. While the Surinamese striker managed to recover and reach the final bell, he fell short on the judges' scorecards and surrendered his 26 pounds of gold.

In the build-up to their highly-awaited rematch at ONE Fight Night 25, Eersel recently questioned the legitimacy of Nicolas' reign, considering he didn't win by a decisive finish.

Alexis Nicolas clapped back in a Sportskeeda MMA exclusive, claiming he'll once again prove he's the better fighter when they run it back next week.

"He doesn’t get to decide whether I’m a true champion or not. I have the belt, I am the champion. And I have to win again to stay there."

ONE Fight Night 25 will air live in US Primetime on Oct. 4 from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. This event is free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in North America.

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Alexis Nicolas says bulletproof mindset led to upset win over Regian Eersel

Alexis Nicolas has never been short of confidence, which allowed him to stay undefeated in 24 career fights.

The Mahmoudi Gym standout remained undeterred despite facing a high-caliber opponent like Eersel with no perceived flaws in his game.

In an interview with ONE, 'Barboza' said he manifested his monumental victory and simply seized the biggest moment of his career.

"I was really confident. Also, I felt that Eersel wasn’t confident in himself, so it was okay. I was already the champ in my head even before my hand was raised."