Nieky Holzken ended his martial arts career three months ago. There is a good chance that the 42-year-old Helmonder will enter the ring one more time. The former world kickboxing champion may have a farewell match in Tokyo. “After my lost world boxing title fight, I quickly decided to quit. That is not the way of a warrior,” says Holzken.
After seven world titles in kickboxing and more than 150 kickboxing and boxing matches around the world, Holzken decided to retire at the beginning of February. He did this the day after his lost fight for the world boxing title against the German Besir Ay. Not the desired farewell to the Helmonder, but that is going to change.
“ONE Championship has plans for a farewell match in Tokyo, the cradle of combat sports. I deserve such a match after such a career. Let’s see what the plans are in concrete terms. I have fought there before, a great opportunity,” says Holzken. “I will not do twelve rounds like my last fight again, that is impossible due to an arm injury. But three rounds of three minutes each is a piece of cake.”
Holzken may have stopped boxing and kickboxing, but he is still fully active in sports. He teaches almost every day in his gym and regularly hits the weight room himself. “I only do boxing and kickboxing less, I want my injury to heal as best as possible. Only then can I perform one hundred percent.”
Nowadays he is also coach of his son Geraldo (19), who will box his third professional match in Rotterdam on Saturday. “Exciting for me, more exciting than my own matches. It is my own flesh and blood that boxes. Together with my father-in-law Sjef Weber and trainer Ron Rovers, we have prepared Geraldo as best as possible. But when he enters the ring, he has to do it himself.”
According to Nieky Holzken, his son is broadly similar to him. “Not in terms of appearance, he is 63 kilos, while I weighed 80 kilos when I was 19. Geraldo is very down to earth, just like me. No fuss, he comes to win. He has ten times as much talent than I did when I was his age. That is also because I do not come from a martial arts family and Geraldo was almost born in the gym. But talent alone is not enough, he works very hard for it.”
World Champion
The goal of Geraldo Holzken (19) is clear, he wants to become world boxing champion in the future. Everything step by step and so the fight on Saturday against the Moldovan Crețu Octavian is the most important.
“People can expect a spectacular victory. I have trained really hard, there are no excuses. I am the youngest fighter tonight, but that doesn’t matter. I want to knock him out.”
