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James Goyder

Jonathan Di Bella has never lost a fight. Whether competing as an amateur or a pro, in kickboxing or boxing, the Canadian has beaten every single opponent he has ever faced.
But despite boasting an immaculate record, he believes he goes into his next bout as an underdog.
At ONE Friday Fights 58 this week, Di Bella is defending his strawweight kickboxing title against Prajanchai PK Saenchaigym, one of the best Muay Thai fighters in the world and a veteran of around 400 fights.
Di Bella might be a kickboxing specialist but he believes Prajanchai is the favourite for a reason.
While Prajanchai might be a relative newcomer to the sport, he has more than enough experience in other disciplines to compensate.

“I’m going 20 hours across the world to his hometown but I think it’s an even fight because he has all that experience in boxing and Muay Thai.
“I believe I’m the underdog in this fight, but I’m going to shock the world.”
Di Bella has never faced an opponent of Prajanchai’s calibre before. He knows it is a step up but wants to test his mettle against the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
“In amateur and pro [fights] I haven’t lost. I’ve fought the top opponents, I’ve never turned down a challenge.
“American champions, Chinese champions – I’ve always fought top guys. I want to go to the next level and he’s the next level.”
Training for him is a family affair and he lives with his coach, who also happens to be his father.
It is an unusual arrangement but Di Bella – who has Italian roots – says it works very well.
“Our relationship is very good [because] I live in his house and he’s very strict. Every day he wakes me up, we go training, early mornings, late nights, hard work.
“Repeating the basics, the same thing over and over again. Sometimes you get tired physically and mentally but you’ve got to still do it.”
De Bella has never faced a Thai opponent, but says he knows what to expect from Prajanchai at Lumpinee Stadium.
“I haven’t been training with Thais but I know the style and I’m excited to challenge my skills against one of the best in the world.”
Prajanchai has already been beaten by one Italian, when he was stopped in 2022 by Joseph Lasiri in one of the biggest upsets in ONE Championship history.


Di Bella chose to play down that defeat, and does not think Prajanchai’s loss to Lasiri, which he subsequently avenged in a rematch, holds too much significance.
“Sometimes it happens, sometimes you have a bad night, sometimes you get caught. Anything can happen in a fight – you’ve always got to be ready.”
The 27-year-old Di Bella does not appear to have ever had a bad night in the ring, having yet to taste defeat and winning all 18 of his fights.
A victory over Prajanchai would be much more than just win number 19, though. It would also instantly establish Di Bella as one of the biggest stars in the sport of kickboxing and he knows just how high the stakes are this week.
“It would show I’m for real, I’m the next level and solidify me as one of the best kick-boxers on the planet.”

However, he is quick to deny his undefeated record has been carefully cultivated, or has come against hand-picked opposition. Di Bella says he never turns down a fight and always wants to test himself against the division’s elite.
“I like to win, I don’t like to lose. I don’t care about records I don’t try and protect my record, I always want to fight the best.”
Before signing for ONE Championship, he had spent his entire pro career competing in New York, where he says he has a big fan base and where he is hoping to fight again later this year.
ONE 168 is set for Atlanta on November 8 and Di Bella wants to be a part of it.
“Atlanta is in November and hopefully I’m on that one because it’s on the east coast and so a lot of people from New York, from Florida and from Montreal will come.
“All the Italian-American community will come and watch for sure.”
But before all that, Di Bella will need to travel halfway around the world to compete in Prajanchai’s hometown on Friday.
And as the underdog, the Canadian knows he can instantly establish himself as a kickboxing legend by beating the Thai and silencing the home crowd.


ONE Championship: Ayaka Miura v Macarena Aragon, 2 other bouts complete line-up for ONE 169

ONE Championship: Tawanchai PKSaenchaigym puts title on line at scene of Russell Crowe film

ONE Championship: Rodtang Jitmuangnon wary of ‘slow’ but durable Jacob Smith in title bout

ONE Championship: Anissa Meksen hopes to cap off career with strawweight kickboxing crown

ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Jonathan Di Bella expects step up against Prajanchai in strawweight kickboxing title bout

Jonathan Di Bella is defending his strawweight kickboxing title at Lumpinee Stadium on Friday. Photo: ONE Championship

Prajanchai celebrates after avenging his loss to Joseph Lasiri. Photo: ONE Championship

Di Bella beat New Zealand’s Danial Williams at ONE Fight Night 15. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Superbon Singha Mawynn takes first step towards regaining kickboxing crown when he faces Marat Grigorian

The 33-year-old Superbon will face old rival Marat Grigorian for the interim featherweight kickboxing title at Lumpinee Stadium. Photo: ONE Championship

Superbon (left) and Grigorian have met twice, with one win each. Photo: ONE Championship

Superbon lost his kickboxing title when he was knocked out by Chingiz Allazov last year.

Superbon narrowly lost to Tawanchai in a Muay Thai title bout. Photo: ONE Championship

Superbon hopes to train in future with UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Photo: AP

ONE Championship: Sinsamut and Menshikov to clash for another shot at Regian Eersel’s Muay Thai belt

Sinsamut Klinmee will be fighting for a third title shot against Regian Eersel. Photo: ONE Championship

Regian Eersel punches Sinsamut Klinmee during one of their previous title fights. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Muay Thai veteran Nong-O Gaiyanghadao vows to become world champion again before calling it quits

Nong-O is coming off back-to-back losses but those defeats have come at the hands of the two brightest prospects in the division. Photo: ONE Championship

Nong-O says age was not a factor against Nico Carrillo. Photo: ONE Championship

Jonathan Haggerty snatched the bantamweight title from Nong-O last April. Photo: ONE Championship

Kulabdam (left) has won three fights since his last loss, to Muangthai PK Saenchai. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: leading Chinese kickboxer Wei Rui signs contract on back of 20-fight winning streak over six years

China’s Wei Rui has joined ONE Championship. 

A bout against bantamweight champion Jonathan Haggerty is inevitable if Rui keeps winning. Photo: ONE Championship

Two likely opponents for Rui are Thai Superlek Kiatmoo9 (left) and Japan’s Takeru Segawa. Photo: ONE Championship

Sport

Martial Arts

Kickboxing

The Canadian has won all his 18 fights, but says he will be the underdog against one of the best Muay Thai fighters in the world
While Prajanchai is a newcomer to kickboxing, the Thai has ‘more than enough experience in other disciplines’ to compensate


The Canadian has won all his 18 fights, but says he will be the underdog against one of the best Muay Thai fighters in the world.


ONE Championship: Jonathan Di Bella expects step up against Prajanchai in strawweight kickboxing title bout

The Canadian has won all his 18 fights, but says he will be the underdog against one of the best Muay Thai fighters in the world While Prajanchai is a newcomer to kickboxing, the Thai has ‘more than enough experience in other disciplines’ to compensate

The Canadian has won all his 18 fights, but says he will be the underdog against one of the best Muay Thai fighters in the world

While Prajanchai is a newcomer to kickboxing, the Thai has ‘more than enough experience in other disciplines’ to compensate