"I learned a lot" - Alexis Nicolas grateful to Regian Eersel for explosive trilogy over lightweight kickboxing supremacy
Alexis Nicolas is nothing short of grateful for his storied rivalry with Regian Eersel.
The former ONE lightweight kickboxing world champion failed to recapture his gold when he suffered a heartbreaking majority decision loss against Eersel in their trilogy fight at ONE Fight Night 30 on April 4 at the historic Lumpinee Stadium.
Taking to Instagram, Nicolas expressed that he was proud of his rivalry against Eersel despite falling short in their Bangkok grudge match.
While tagging Eersel on Instagram, Alexis Nicolas posted:
"1 year of rivalry. Thanks @koolhydraat I learned a lot."
The post signifies a shift in focus for Nicolas, who appears to be embracing the growth that came from his three-fight series with ‘The Immortal’ rather than dwelling on the defeat.
The rivalry between the two superstars began when Nicolas shocked the world by dethroning Eersel via unanimous decision to capture the ONE lightweight kickboxing world title at ONE Fight Night 21.
Eersel would have his revenge, reclaiming the world title with his own unanimous decision victory at ONE Fight Night 25 before closing the trilogy with a majority decision win this past weekend.
Nicolas pushed the pace in the first two rounds, but that aggression came at a price.
Eersel clocked Nicolas with a scientific left hook for the fight’s lone knockdown, a pivotal episode that saw Eersel take control in the eyes of the judges.
Nicolas had a golden opportunity to recapture the lightweight kickboxing throne after Eersel was stripped of the gold for failing his weight and hydration during the card’s official weigh-ins.
Eersel, though, remained a world champion since he’s still the owner of the ONE lightweight Muay Thai world title.
Regian Eersel has nothing but respect for Alexis Nicolas following their trilogy battle
They may have squared off in three brutal matches, but Regian Eersel and Alexis Nicolas share a high degree of respect with one another. Here's what Eersel said in his interview with Nick Atkin for Bangkok Post:
"I proved that mentally I'm the stronger fighter, also the smarter fighter. So, yeah, my respect to Alexis, of course. He's a very good opponent, very good with his style. We are warriors, yeah."
The mutual respect between the two fighters after such an intense trilogy speaks to the professionalism both men bring to their craft, even as they've engaged in one of ONE Championship's most compelling rivalries in recent years.