PAPENDRECHT – Last Saturday, three athletes from Curaçao representing IMMARTIAL – Athlete Centre competed at the international combat sports event Heresh XL in Papendrecht, the Netherlands. Niurick Leoncio, Nick de Jager and Chris Elliott traveled to the Netherlands last week together with coach Gideon Jonker to showcase their skills on this prestigious stage.
The delegation was well aware that it would be a great, but especially challenging experience. A temperature difference of more than 30 degrees Celsius compared to Curaçao created an additional physical challenge. On top of that, all opponents were carefully matched, meaning the athletes knew they had to perform at their very best. With a total of 49 fights scheduled throughout the day, it was also a long and demanding event.
Impressive International Debut for Leoncio
Niurick Leoncio was the first of the Curaçao athletes to step into the ring. It marked his first fight in the Netherlands and his first time competing internationally. Fighting abroad under such weather conditions was already a challenge in itself, but none of these factors appeared to affect him.
With an outstanding and technically strong performance, Leoncio dominated his bout. In the second round, he scored an eight-count against his opponent. Although his opponent was saved by the bell and a third round followed, Leoncio maintained full control. He ultimately secured a unanimous decision victory.
“Leoncio is truly one of the newest and biggest talents on Curaçao,” said coach Jonker. “It’s incredible how mentally strong he remains and how he was able to execute exactly what we trained for. He had total control over himself and his opponent.” Leoncio also left a strong impression on respected fighters present at the event.
Valuable Learning Experience for De Jager
After a long wait, it was Nick de Jager’s turn to compete. Like Leoncio, De Jager entered the fight relaxed and focused. He started strong, landing several effective calf kicks that visibly hurt his opponent and made an early stoppage seem only a matter of time.
However, in the second round, his opponent adjusted his strategy and took control. Although De Jager remained calm and did not force his actions, the round was awarded to his opponent, who convinced the judges slightly more with powerful combinations. In the third and final round, De Jager was unable to turn the tide. Despite maintaining his composure, he ultimately suffered his first loss by points.
The disappointment was evident, but coach Jonker remained positive: “In fights like these, the most important thing is identifying what we can improve. After a brief evaluation, we saw many positive developments as well as key areas to work on for next time.”
Elliott Falls in Main Program After Tough First Round
Chris Elliott stepped into the ring later in the evening as part of the main card, marking his third appearance at Heresh XL. His experienced and slightly shorter opponent started explosively, and Elliott engaged in the high tempo. Early in the fight, Elliott landed a strong punch that visibly shook his opponent. After the match, his opponent admitted he was close to hitting the canvas at that moment.
Smelling blood, Elliott continued to engage at the same pace. However, during an exchange, he was caught with a left hook that proved decisive. Clearly rocked, Elliott was put under heavy pressure, and after a ten-count by the referee, the fight was stopped in the first round.
“The punch wasn’t extremely hard, but it seemed that the concussion I suffered during preparation hadn’t fully healed. After that punch, everything started spinning and I couldn’t recover,” Elliott explained.
Coach Jonker added, “Everything seemed normal, but the moment Elliott didn’t appear to respond properly, I knew something more was going on. He has taken much harder punches before. We identified important improvements once again, but for now Elliott needs to take proper rest in the coming weeks.”
Pride and Looking Ahead
Despite mixed results, coach Jonker expressed great pride in his athletes, who once again left a strong impression on the audience and their opponents alike.
On April 18, the athletes will have the opportunity to showcase their skills on home soil during the HONOR Fight League, featuring both local and prominent international fighters.
With this valuable international experience gained, IMMARTIAL – Athlete Centre continues to take important steps in elevating Curaçao combat sports to the highest level.