Haida Warns Eersel: ‘Say Goodbye To The Belt’
Mustapha “Dynamite” Haida has the chance to fulfill his dreams at ONE: FISTS OF FURY III.
The Italian striker will face off against ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Regian “The Immortal” Eersel for the belt at the previously recorded event, which airs from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 19 March.
Though he is already an ISKA Kickboxing World Champion, Haida knows that capturing ONE gold would be the crowning glory of his illustrious career.
“I feel positive and super pumped. I can’t wait to have the opportunity to win the World Title,” the #2-ranked lightweight kickboxing contender says.
“For me, winning ONE’s World Title would be a dream that comes true. It is what I have always wanted deep in my soul, and it is the right time and fight to get this chance.”
However, the 32-year-old from Florence has an extremely tough challenge ahead in reigning king Eersel.
The Dutch-Surinamese star has posted four consecutive wins in The Home Of Martial Arts, which include two World Title victories over Nieky “The Natural” Holzken.
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For his part, Haida knows that there is a lot to be wary of when he stands across from “The Immortal,” but he does not think it’s an insurmountable task.
“Regian has a classic Dutch style. They work a lot on their rhythm and pace of kicks and punches,” the Italian says.
“His biggest strength, I think, is his reach. He is very tall and his knees are really dangerous — often they take his opponents by surprise. But honestly, I am focused a lot on my strengths and on what I can do to win the match, not on what my opponent can do to me.
“I think I am a more well-rounded fighter than him, especially with my boxing. [My boxing] is at a different level.”
In terms of his own skill set, Haida’s “Dynamite” moniker does nothing to hide his trump card. The hard-hitting Fight Club Firenze product showed just how concussive his hands are when he dispatched Daniel “The Rock” Dawson by KO at ONE: BEYOND THE HORIZON.
Haida ended that 2018 ONE Super Series Bout of the Year in spectacular fashion with his powerful striking, and he believes a similar strategy will be his best chance to shut down the defending World Champion in Singapore.
“My style is heavily based on my explosiveness. I was born with this explosive power, but I’ve worked a lot to craft it through the years,” he says.
“So I’ve been working on my strength and explosiveness, trying to prevent his actions and setting the tone of the match.”
With his rocket of a left hand primed and ready, Haida’s ultimate goal would be to deliver a memorable finish in another Bout of the Year contender.
With that in mind, he is also calling for his opponent to meet him head-on inside the Circle so they can put on a true showcase of striking excellence.
“For sure, my dream is to finish the match in the way I want to and bring home the belt,” Haida states.
“Regian, I am training really hard and I am giving everything I’ve got for this match. I hope you are doing the same in order to put on a great show and write a page of kickboxing history for all the fans.
“Get ready to say goodbye to the belt. It is going to be mine.”
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