After Big Win Over Holzken, Sadikovic Eager For World Title Rematch With Eersel
Arian Sadikovic delivered a stunning performance to take the biggest scalp of his career at ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video.
Last Friday, the Bosnian-German slugger earned a unanimous decision nod over kickboxing icon Nieky Holzken in their lightweight clash at Lumpinee Stadium, instantly putting him back in the running for the division’s gold.
“Game Over” lost a World Title challenge to Surinamese superstar Regian Eersel last time out, so he was thrilled to get back to winning ways in front of a striking-savvy crowd in Bangkok, Thailand.
Sadikovic said:
“It was amazing. The atmosphere was good. A lot of friends of mine were there. It’s the best feeling [I’ve had for a long time]. And fighting again in the ring was a nice feeling.”
Having followed Holzken’s career for many years, the 28-year-old knew what to expect from his opponent coming into Friday’s match.
Using this knowledge to his advantage, Sadikovic stayed on the front foot so “The Natural” couldn’t get into his groove.
“Game Over’s” boxing was also on point, and he grew stronger as the bout wore on, but despite feeling good about his performance, he admits that he wasn’t sure which way the decision would go.
Reflecting on his victory, Sadikovic said:
“He’s a legend. I respect him a lot. I’ve seen a lot of his fights and he’s always strong when he goes forward. So if you give him a lot of space to work, you will lose. So I went for forward pressure. That’s also my style. I always go forward. I have a good chin.
“I know the fans love Nieky Holzken, so I was not 100 percent [I’d get the decision]. It was half and half, but I think I did well in the first two rounds, then I dominated him in the third round. But all in all, I think I won.”
Sadikovic Vows To Finish The Job In Second Matchup With Eersel
Arian Sadikovic has long had a solid reputation in the sport, but he bolstered it with a strong performance against Regian Eersel for the ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title back in April 2022.
Although he came up short on points, “Game Over” was the only man to put the two-sport ONE World Champion on the canvas in their contest at ONE 156. And while Eersel recovered from the epic jumping knee to turn the tide, Sadikovic believes he has what it takes to claim the belt.
With extra confidence from his victory over Nieky Holzken, the Hanover native is targeting another World Title shot in his next appearance. And after such a close call in their first showdown, he promises not to let his rival off the hook again.
Sadikovic added:
“I think I’ve been in the top five in kickboxing for a long time. But with this win, I’m sure I’m in the top three. I just have to beat Eersel. So give me a rematch.
“First of all, I think he didn’t win the first fight. It was very close in my eyes. I see a lot of people say I just won the second round but I don’t agree. I think I won more than just the second round.
“So, what would be different is I won’t lose my focus. When I put him down, I will finish him.”
