Nieky Holzken's return to his home country didn't go as expected. He still left the sold-out arena as GLORY champion.
The Netherlands native retained his welterweight title against countrymen Murthel Groenhart via split decision (48-47, 46-49, 49-46) in the main event of GLORY 26 on Friday in Amsterdam. The scores will come under scrutiny since statistically Groenhart outlanded Holzken. Holzken might have won three rounds, but scoring four for him, as one judge did, is questionable.
Holzken, 31, has won eight straight and has never lost a GLORY fight. He dropped the welterweight belt last year due to injury and won it again by beating Raymond Daniels in August with former champion Joseph Valtellini on the shelf.