Regian “Immortal” Aircel has been an unstoppable force in ONE’s lightweight striking division, but a new contender is ready to try his luck against the Surinamese superstar this Friday, April 5th. is made of.
After a successful promotional debut, Alexis “Barboza” Nicholas will challenge Aircel for the ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 21 on Prime Video, broadcast live in prime time in the United States. .
Boasting an unbeaten record of 23-0, the French prodigy will come into the game with plenty of momentum, but his skills will be challenged against Aircel, who have not lost in eight years while facing top-level competition. What will happen?
Here are the keys to victory for both fighters ahead of their big clash for the gold medal at Lumphini Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
#1 Arcel's overwhelming volume
Aircel, who has a 10-0 record in ONE and has won eight world titles in both the kickboxing and Muay Thai ranks, knows how to turn it on under the bright lights.
In the other corner, Nicholas faces the biggest game of his life and could take some time to steady the ship. “The Immortal” can take advantage of this by launching an attack immediately with a large amount of power.
The 31-year-old titleholder is known for moving forward and taking the lead with punishing volleys, but he can also take his time reading his opponent in the first round.
If Aircel comes out quickly from the opening bell and throws punches, kicks and knees, Nicolas should have a hard time finding a foothold in the fight.
At that point, it will be difficult for the challenger to turn the tide. Especially considering “The Immortal”’s record-breaking offense, including his most important strike in one ONE match (against Nieky Holzken in 2019).
#2 Nicholas' low kick
Nicolas needs to stem the tide before Arcel gains momentum, and his low kicks could help with that.
The reigning champion likes to come forward with long combinations and punctuate them with kicks and knees, but if “Barboza” can thwart those combos, he could potentially force Ercel out of the match.
The 25-year-old challenger uses a lot of inside low kicks from his left foot, which can cause his opponent to make mistakes and cause them to lose their balance. Doing this to “The Immortal” will slow down the attack and give you more of a chance to counterattack.
Nicholas also hits a strong outside low kick from the right side. When Aircel walks forward to deliver a punch, he has to put his weight on his lead leg, which limits his ability to check.
Therefore, if the ISKA Kickboxing World Champion can time his blows accurately, he will be able to accumulate damage on the title holder's lead leg and at the same time warn him not to lunge too often.
#3 Air cell conditioning
One of the things Aircel has shown during his long reign at the World Championship is his ability to grow and step up a gear for his matches.
It would be difficult for anyone to keep up with his pace, and it might be even harder for rising stars who have never been pushed by such a relentless athlete.
Nicholas showed signs of fatigue in the third round of his debut fight against Magomed Magomedov, but 'The Immortal' can continue to ramp up the pressure heading into the championship rounds.
The reigning champion has won six grueling five-round world title decisions, defeating Sinsamut Krinmi in the fourth round of a rematch for the ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Championship.
If Nicholas starts flagging, Aircel will try to use that to draw him away, knowing that there's always gas in the tank to keep pushing.
#4 Nicola's right hand
It's hard to imagine Nicolas beating Aircel by decision, but he has a piston in his right hand that could be his ticket to a knockout blow.
Aircel has strong jaws and is very durable, but can be caught, and “Barboza” has shown the ability to end fights with punches.
The Frenchman throws a right hand behind a jab or left hook, but he's happy to lead with it. He also doubles up on his power punches if he catches his opponent with the first punch, and delivers punches to the head or body with his left hand if his opponent focuses too much on blocking his left side.
Nicholas timed an overhand shot when Magomedov attempted a jumping knee at One Friday Fight, but if he can time it against Aircel's signature move, it could lead to a money shot. There is.
