Regian Eersel made short work of George Jarvis on Saturday – and now he’s eyeing a ONE Championship superfight with Chingiz Allazov.
The Surinamese-Dutch star needed just 84 seconds to finish the Briton with a brutal first-round KO in the main event of ONE Fight Night 34 at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, retaining his lightweight Muay Thai crown.
“Easy work – but I put in all the hard work behind the scenes,” Eersel told the Bangkok Post backstage. “I did a very hard camp, because I know Jarvis is a good fighter – he’s a brawler.”
Jarvis was the latest in a long line of challengers to fall to Eersel, who is quickly establishing himself as a pound-for–pound great in ONE – though he continues to find new opponents hard to come by.
Regian Eersel walks off as referee Olivier Coste ends the fight against George Jarvis
Allazov however would provide a fresh matchup, and a dream one at that, should the former featherweight kickboxing champ be enticed to make a sensational return to the promotion. He told the Bangkok Post earlier this year he may do just that – but at lightweight, given he would struggle to make 70kg again.
“I’m happy if Chingiz comes back to ONE,” Eersel said. “It will be a good fight – a good test for me, a good test for him. I’d be happy to welcome him back.”
Is there anything Allazov can do to beat him though?
“No,” Eersel replied with a grin. “But it’ll be a great fight.”
Jarvis could attest to that.
He had suggested before the fight that Muay Thai was his domain, given Eersel’s kickboxing background. The 32-year-old did not appreciate the implication.
“His words sparked something inside me,” he said. “I’m not for nothing the Muay Thai world champion. If someone says, ‘Yeah, I’m 20-plus years in Muay Thai, he can’t do nothing’ – that’s disrespect.
Regian Eersel motions to the crowd at Lumpinee Stadium after knocking out George Jarvis at ONE Fight Night 34
“From the beginning, I had to make sure he felt my power.”
The win earned Eersel his first US$50,000 bonus in two years – his last coming after a first-round KO of Dmitry Menshikov in 2023.
“I tell you, if I do all my kickboxing fights in four-ounce gloves, I think 95 per cent will be a KO,” he said. And 95 per cent bonuses? “Yes, let’s go,” he laughed.
Accordingly, Eersel made it clear he’s in no rush to return to 8oz kickboxing gloves. “More Muay Thai fights for me – let’s go.”
But he hasn’t forgotten about his “baby” – the lightweight kickboxing title.
Stripped of the belt in April after failing hydration ahead of his trilogy with Alexis Nicolas, Eersel still sees himself as the rightful heir to the throne.
“I lost the belt on the scale, so that makes me the No 1 contender,” he said. “I won the third fight against Alexis – so we’ll see who they put in front of me.”
His message to matchmakers? “ONE Championship, we need more lightweights.”
Referee Olivier Coste prepares to raise Regian Eersel_s arm in victory at ONE Fight Night 34
One contender stepped up on Saturday, with Thailand’s Rungrawee beating Youssef Assouik by unanimous decision to bounce back from his KO loss to Jarvis – a fight where he also suffered a knee injury that required surgery.
Rungrawee told the Bangkok Post he’d be open to facing Eersel in either Muay Thai or kickboxing.
“Who knows, why not?” Eersel replied. “He beat Youssef – a lot of clinch work, good strategy. I’m not really impressed, but I’m happy for him – he’s back in the winner’s circle.”
But one name was quickly dismissed – that of Nicolas.
The French striker had called for a fourth fight on social media, claiming Jarvis wasn’t on his level and that only he could push Eersel to the limit.
“No,” Eersel said flatly. “He first has to face Jarvis, so he can say whatever he wants. But he didn’t fight Jarvis. He didn’t fight Rungrawee. He didn’t fight Youssef.
“He only fought once in ONE Championship – and then me. Luckily for him, it was a bad day for me in the first one. I proved already in the last two fights why I’m the champion. Get back in the line.”
The Surinamese-Dutch star needed just 84 seconds to finish the Briton with a brutal first-round KO in the main event of ONE Fight Night 34 at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, retaining his lightweight Muay Thai crown.
“Easy work – but I put in all the hard work behind the scenes,” Eersel told the Bangkok Post backstage. “I did a very hard camp, because I know Jarvis is a good fighter – he’s a brawler.”
Jarvis was the latest in a long line of challengers to fall to Eersel, who is quickly establishing himself as a pound-for–pound great in ONE – though he continues to find new opponents hard to come by.
Regian Eersel walks off as referee Olivier Coste ends the fight against George Jarvis
Allazov however would provide a fresh matchup, and a dream one at that, should the former featherweight kickboxing champ be enticed to make a sensational return to the promotion. He told the Bangkok Post earlier this year he may do just that – but at lightweight, given he would struggle to make 70kg again.
“I’m happy if Chingiz comes back to ONE,” Eersel said. “It will be a good fight – a good test for me, a good test for him. I’d be happy to welcome him back.”
Is there anything Allazov can do to beat him though?
“No,” Eersel replied with a grin. “But it’ll be a great fight.”
Jarvis could attest to that.
He had suggested before the fight that Muay Thai was his domain, given Eersel’s kickboxing background. The 32-year-old did not appreciate the implication.
“His words sparked something inside me,” he said. “I’m not for nothing the Muay Thai world champion. If someone says, ‘Yeah, I’m 20-plus years in Muay Thai, he can’t do nothing’ – that’s disrespect.
Regian Eersel motions to the crowd at Lumpinee Stadium after knocking out George Jarvis at ONE Fight Night 34
“From the beginning, I had to make sure he felt my power.”
The win earned Eersel his first US$50,000 bonus in two years – his last coming after a first-round KO of Dmitry Menshikov in 2023.
“I tell you, if I do all my kickboxing fights in four-ounce gloves, I think 95 per cent will be a KO,” he said. And 95 per cent bonuses? “Yes, let’s go,” he laughed.
Accordingly, Eersel made it clear he’s in no rush to return to 8oz kickboxing gloves. “More Muay Thai fights for me – let’s go.”
But he hasn’t forgotten about his “baby” – the lightweight kickboxing title.
Stripped of the belt in April after failing hydration ahead of his trilogy with Alexis Nicolas, Eersel still sees himself as the rightful heir to the throne.
“I lost the belt on the scale, so that makes me the No 1 contender,” he said. “I won the third fight against Alexis – so we’ll see who they put in front of me.”
His message to matchmakers? “ONE Championship, we need more lightweights.”
Referee Olivier Coste prepares to raise Regian Eersel_s arm in victory at ONE Fight Night 34
One contender stepped up on Saturday, with Thailand’s Rungrawee beating Youssef Assouik by unanimous decision to bounce back from his KO loss to Jarvis – a fight where he also suffered a knee injury that required surgery.
Rungrawee told the Bangkok Post he’d be open to facing Eersel in either Muay Thai or kickboxing.
“Who knows, why not?” Eersel replied. “He beat Youssef – a lot of clinch work, good strategy. I’m not really impressed, but I’m happy for him – he’s back in the winner’s circle.”
But one name was quickly dismissed – that of Nicolas.
The French striker had called for a fourth fight on social media, claiming Jarvis wasn’t on his level and that only he could push Eersel to the limit.
“No,” Eersel said flatly. “He first has to face Jarvis, so he can say whatever he wants. But he didn’t fight Jarvis. He didn’t fight Rungrawee. He didn’t fight Youssef.
“He only fought once in ONE Championship – and then me. Luckily for him, it was a bad day for me in the first one. I proved already in the last two fights why I’m the champion. Get back in the line.”
