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Alexis Nicolas entered his ONE lightweight kickboxing world title showdown against Regian Eersel, carrying the weight of an entire nation on his broad shoulders.
At ONE Fight Night 21 last April 5, 'Barboza' did the improbable and ended 'The Immortal's 22-fight winning streak with a dominant unanimous decision win.
While he was beaming with pride after capturing 26 pounds of gold in the world's largest martial arts organization, Nicolas said being able to represent France on the global stage made his triumph even more special.
The new 170-pound kickboxing king said in his ONE Fight Night 21 post-event interview:
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"This belt is not the real [accomplishment] tonight, not the real win tonight. Because the real win is I won all the hearts of the French. All my fans know that I'm the best. I worked hard and I'm very proud."
Alexis Nicolas, who used his Savate or French boxing style to dethrone the mighty Eersel, furthered:
"So that's my real happiness tonight, it's to bring this belt to my country and my family, and to Mahmoudi Gym as well, and all my team."
Meanwhile, Eersel wreaked havoc in his first ten matches in ONE and was being considered in the pound-for-pound best striker conversation.
The undefeated Nicolas, though, fought valiantly and defied all odds. He certainly made his countrymen proud.
The full replay of ONE Fight Night 21 is free for Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Alexis Nicolas ready for all-comers who want a shot at his kickboxing throne
Now that he's the top dog of the lightweight kickboxing ranks, Nicolas will shift his mindset from the hunter to the hunted.
'Barboza' knows capturing the gold is only half the battle. Now, he must defend it at all costs against potential invaders and prove he is indeed the cream of the crop in the stacked division. He added:
"I'm proud. I'm the king now. So everybody wants my crown, but I'm ready to defend."
Watch Alexis Nicolas' full post-event interview:
