"I have to bring this belt back" - Alexis Nicolas pumped for chance to reclaim lost gold at ONE Fight Night 30

Alexis Nicolas is driven by one goal — to reclaim the ONE lightweight kickboxing world championship. And this pursuit is what fuels his motivation as he gears up for an important assignment in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 30 this Friday, April 4.

There, the French striker is set to lock horns with Surinamese-Dutch rival Regian Eersel for the third time, happening live in U.S. primetime at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nicolas first got hold of the intricately crafted belt when he shocked the world at ONE Fight Night 21 in April 2024, outlasting Eersel over the course of five rounds to be crowned as the divisional king.

However, his reign at the top of the weight class was short-lived as 'Barboza' relinquished his possession of the coveted hardware to Eersel in their rematch at ONE Fight Night 25 six months later.

In an interview with English journalist Nick Atkin, Nicolas conceded that he yearns for 26 pounds of gold, acknowledging that his previous run with it was brief and forgettable.

Should he regain the world title at ONE Fight Night 30, Nicolas intends to hold onto it for a much longer time.

He said:

"Yeah, it's when you lose something that you realize the value of this. So I have to bring this belt back and keep it for a long, long time."

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Alexis Nicolas is the only eligible fighter to win 26 pounds of gold

Regian Eersel was originally slated to defend the ONE lightweight kickboxing world championship against Alexis Nicolas at ONE Fight Night 30, but plans have changed after the Surinamese-Dutch striker failed his hydration test during the official weigh-in window.

As a result, Eersel was stripped of the belt, leaving Nicolas as the only eligible athlete to win the sought-after piece in Bangkok.

ONE Fight Night 30 will air live and for free in the United States and Canada on Prime Video.