Nieky Holzken

He would challenge Regian Eersel for the inaugural ONE Kickboxing Lightweight World Title in May 2019 and lose via unanimous decision. The two would rematch in October 2019, but Holzken lost again via unanimous decision.

Nieky "The Natural" Holzken (born December 16, 1983) is a Dutch super middleweight kickboxer and professional boxer. He is the former Glory Welterweight Champion. He is also a two-time European Muay Thai champion and the K-1 MAX Scandinavia 2006 tournament champion. As of 1 November 2018, he is ranked the #7 welterweight in the world by Combat Press.

In 2018, Holzken participated in the World Boxing Super Series as a substitute.

Holzken returned to kickboxing when he signed for ONE Championship, making his debut with a second round KO over Cosmo Alexandre in November of 2018.

On April 16, 2016, he defeated Yoann Kongolo. After the match-up Holzken expressed his desire to in-ring commentator Joseph Valtellini that he wished to face him again.

On February 6, 2015, Holzken was part of a one-night, four-man welterweight tournament at Glory 19 to determine who would get the next title shot. In the semifinals, he faced Alexander Stetsurenko and won via unanimous decision. In the finals, he faced Raymond Daniels and won via TKO in the third round.

He was set to fight for the inaugural Glory Welterweight Championship against Marc de Bonte at Glory 14: Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia on March 8, 2014 but the fight was cancelled when he suffered a shoulder injury in a car accident. The match was rescheduled for Glory 16: Denver in Broomfield, Colorado, US on May 3, 2014 but his lingering shoulder injury again forced him out, and he was replaced by Karapet Karapetyan.

He defeated Karim Ghajji via TKO due to a cut in an extension round at Glory 6: Istanbul in Istanbul, Turkey on April 6, 2013.

He was to fight at SLAMM!! - Soema na Basi IV: Londt vs. Adegbuyi in Paramaribo, Suriname on August 8, 2013 but withdrew for undisclosed reasons.

He was initially scheduled to fight Marc de Bonte in the Glory 13: Tokyo - Welterweight World Championship Tournament semi-finals in Tokyo, Japan on December 21, 2013 but his opponent was then changed to Karapet Karapetyan who he had previously fought and beat in February 2012 by decision. He knocked Karapetyan down in rounds one and two en route to a clear unanimous decision win before facing Joseph Valtellini in the final. In a back-and-forth fight where both pressed forward, landing powerful but technical punches and kicks, Holzken scored a TKO in the dying seconds of the third and final round to be crowned the inaugural Glory World Welterweight (-77.1 kg/170 lb) Tournament Champion.

Since 2013, Holzken had competed in professional boxing alongside his kickboxing career, but in February 2018 he got the biggest opportunity in the sport when he stepped in at late notice to face Callum Smith in the World Boxing Super Series super-middleweight tournament. The Dutchman was 13-0 coming in, and Smith 23-0. Smith took the win by unanimous decision, and then went on to KO George Groves in the final.

He faced Murat Direkçi at Glory 2: Brussels on October 6, 2012 in Brussels, Belgium and won via TKO due to a cut in the second round.

Nieky Holzken made his K-1 debut on November 26, 2006 at K-1 World MAX North European Qualification in Stockholm, Sweden. He won the tournament by three consecutive KO's over Björn Kjöllerström, Joakim Karlsson and Elias Daniel. The win qualified him for the K-1 World MAX 2007 Final Elimination, where he was matched up against the reigning K-1 MAX champion Buakaw Por. Pramuk. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.