Prajanchai PK Saenchai refuses to leave his rematch with Jonathan Di Bella in the judges’ hands. The Thai wants to erase all doubt with explosive finishing power when he faces the interim titleholder again.
He faces Di Bella for the undisputed ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Fight Night 36 on Friday, October 3, live from Bangkok, Thailand. The 30-year-old two-sport ONE World Champion carries the memory of their closely contested first encounter, where he captured vacant gold through unanimous decision at ONE Friday Fights 68.
That June 2024 victory handed Di Bella his first career loss but left questions unanswered. Both fighters had moments across five technical rounds, creating razor-thin margins that allowed room for interpretation. The result satisfied neither competitor completely.
Prajanchai spent months analyzing film from their initial meeting, identifying critical weaknesses he plans to exploit. The 400-fight veteran discovered that Di Bella struggles offensively while moving backward and relies heavily on predictable combination patterns.
The PK Saenchai Muaythaigym product enters this unification bout determined to remove all ambiguity. His recent fourth-round TKO of Ellis Badr Barboza at ONE Fight Night 28 demonstrated the finishing power he wants to unleash against his Canadian-Italian rival.
“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,” he said.
“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 PK Saenchai dismisses Jonathan Di Bella’s volume striking
Prajanchai PK Saenchai dominated the championship rounds of their first encounter through devastating knee strikes and kicks. The Thai superstar believes clean, impactful shots matter more than Jonathan Di Bella’s high-volume combinations that lack finishing power.
Di Bella utilized reach advantages and boxing combinations early in their initial meeting. But the crafty veteran adjusted by the third round, turning the tide with precise striking that created visible damage.
The two-sport king expects his opponent to improve defensively, particularly against knee strikes that proved so effective previously. But Di Bella’s interim title victory over Sam-A Gaiyanghadao demonstrated his continued growth as a complete striker.
Prajanchai challenges his rival to extend their rivalry into Muay Thai competition, confident he can dominate across both disciplines. The Bangkok native sees this as the ultimate test of Thai versus Italian striking artistry.
“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,” he said.
“To Jonathan Di Bella, get ready for this fight. Don’t worry that I’ll get injured, get scared, or withdraw. I’m not running away from you.”