FREE FULL FIGHT: Regian Eersel puts on striking clinic to retain lightweight kickboxing throne against Mustapha Haida
Reigning ONE lightweight kickboxing and Muay Thai world champion Regian Eersel is the textbook definition of the word 'dominant' and if there was ever a bout of his that deserves to be put in the museum, it was his 2021 showing against Mustapha Haida.
At ONE: Fists of Fury III, 'The Immortal' had his kickboxing world title, plus his 17-fight winning streak, on the line against a former ISKA world and WAKO intercontinental champion in the form of Haida.
Eersel entered the bout with a head full of confidence as he was coming off back-to-back victories over Dutch kickboxing icon Nieky Holzken - the first to win the inaugural kickboxing lightweight world title and the second in defense of it.
'Dynamite' played the counter-striker role greatly against Eersel as he looked to use the Surinamese-Dutch star's aggression against him.
But one thing that Eersel did well in this bout, as he has done in many others, is to use his reach advantage well, keeping his Italian senior at bay whenever he can.
Haida hung tough with the champion for a while, though Eersel was not going to be denied and retained his world title via unanimous decision.
Regian Eersel to defend ONE kickboxing gold on April 5
With his winning streak now having reached 22 bouts, Eersel's lightweight kickboxing world championship reign will again be challenged at ONE Fight Night 21 on April 5 by Alexis Nicolas.
The French star is coming off a clinical-level win over Magomed Magomedov this past January and will now get the chance of a lifetime to end Eersel's streak while also taking his throne.
ONE Fight Night 21 takes place inside the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
It will air live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.