At ONE Fight Night 36 on October 3, ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Prajanchai gets his chance to remove all ambiguity from their rivalry when he faces interim king Di Bella in Bangkok in a unification bout. This time, the 30-year-old veteran has no intention of allowing the contest to reach the judges’ scorecards.
“My goal is simple. I want to keep this belt in Thailand for a long time. I want to end this fight quickly, either you or me. Let’s settle it,” Prajanchai said.
The confidence stems from extensive analysis of their first encounter, where Prajanchai dismantled Di Bella’s approach after solving the Canadian-Italian’s early success with his reach advantage and boxing combinations.
By the championship rounds, the Thai veteran had established clear control through devastating knee strikes and tactical superiority.
His film study has revealed specific patterns in Di Bella’s defensive habits that he plans to exploit more aggressively in their rematch.
“When I watched the tapes from our last fight and talked to my head coach, he said it was better for me to walk forward. When he backs up, his offense isn’t effective. He doesn’t know how to fight while moving backwards,” Prajanchai said.
The two-sport titleholder brings urgency to this contest after his recent fourth-round technical knockout of Ellis Badr Barboza. That performance served as both a highlight-reel finish and a psychological warning to Di Bella about his finishing skills.
But the interim champion in Di Bella has used the time between contests productively, capturing his title through an impressive victory over legendary Thai competitor Sam-A Gaiyanghadao at ONE 172. The performance validated Di Bella’s credentials while proving his ability to rebound from the first professional defeat of his career.
Prajanchai expects tactical adjustments from his opponent but remains confident in his ability to adapt accordingly.
“In the first fight with Jonathan Di Bella, in rounds one and two, I couldn’t figure out his style yet. By the third round, I started to get a read on him, and the fight became easier because I knew what his dangerous weapons were,” he said.
The veteran’s approach reflects someone who has learned from experience that close victories often require validation through more emphatic results. His 400-fight resume has taught him the value of removing doubt through action rather than relying on the judges.
“I want to trade with him. Whether it’s punches or anything else. My body feels like it can fight for 12 or 15 rounds right now. Five rounds are not enough,” Prajanchai said.
