Regian Eersel survived a first-round knockdown and stormed back to stop George Jarvis with a left hook in round four, retaining the ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Title at Lumpinee Stadium on Friday.
Spat out by the canvas
Jarvis arrived with a tighter guard and sharper feints, absorbing a sharp one-two and a flying knee that opened a cut. He bided his time, then uncorked a massive left hook to the temple that sent the champion crashing down.
The Surinamese titleholder responded in the second round with leg kicks from the outside. When Jarvis began swinging with real venom and let his guard dip, Eersel stayed patient and dropped him with a pinpoint left hook to the chin.
The eye and the equaliser
The third round settled into a brutal rhythm. Eersel worked behind a steady jab and extended combinations while Jarvis fired heavy hooks upstairs. As the round wore on, the champion began spearing straights into the challenger’s swelling right eye.
Jarvis opened the fourth with his signature left cross, but Eersel had already spotted the first signs of fatigue. He abandoned the kicks and returned to the target that had done so much harm, landing another clean left hook. Jarvis covered his right eye immediately, and the referee waved the contest closed.
"Yes, I expect a tougher fight because it's a rematch for him, and I think he's double motivated," Eersel had said before the bout. The prediction held, and his response under fire extended an already historic reign.
Twelve titles, one standard
The win lifted Regian Eersel's career record to 66-5 and made him the most successful titleholder in ONE Championship history. He now holds 12 World Championships across Muay Thai and kickboxing, a mark no other athlete in the promotion has matched.
