Jonathan Di Bella carries the sting of controversial defeat into his ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship unification bout against Prajanchai PK Saenchai at ONE Fight Night 36 on 4 October in Bangkok, Thailand, but the interim king has learned valuable lessons from their first encounter.
The Italian-Canadian superstar’s only professional defeat came against the Thai in 2024, when they fought for the vacant title. Despite the judges’ scorecards, the 29-year-old fighter maintains he did enough to win.
“I feel like I won the fight. After the bell rang, I thought I had won. I know I did more damage. I know I hit him with some hard shots and hurt him. But I know he didn’t hurt me,” Di Bella said.
That experience has shaped his strategy for the rematch. Rather than risk another close decision, the Team Di Bella Kickboxing representative plans to leave no doubt about the result.
“This fight can end any second, or it can end up going the five rounds, especially against Prajanchai. I know I’m going to win because I’m not going to make this a close fight,” he stated.
Di Bella’s path back to this moment included an impressive victory over legendary Sam-A Gaiyanghadao in March 2025, earning him interim championship status and extending his record to 14-1 overall and 4-1 in the promotion.
The challenger acknowledges the multifaceted threat presented by the 30-year-old two-sport king, who holds both ONE Strawweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Championships with a 7-1 ONE record.
“He has a strong IQ in the ring. He knows how to score. His brain is the most strongest weapon, for sure. But, also, he has fast hands and fast kicks. So, I’ve got to be prepared for that as well,” Di Bella analyzed.
Catch ONE Fight Night 36 live in India on JioHotstar and Star Sports Select 2 at 6:30 a.m. IST on Saturday, 4 October.
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