"A great journey" - Jonathan Di Bella reflects on kickboxing career under the watchful eyes of his father
Since he was two years old, Jonathan Di Bella has been exposed to combat sports because his dad guided him into this route of becoming a professional fighter. The reigning ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion doesn't regret one bit of it.
In his most recent interview with ONE Championship ahead of his champion-versus-champion battle with ONE strawweight Muay Thai world champion Prajanchai PK Saenchai on April 5 at ONE Friday Fights 58, Di Bella took a trip down memory lane to reminisce about the journey he had under the tutelage of his father, who was a former two-time kickboxing world champion.
The Canadian-Italian striking maestro said:
"Yeah, it means a lot because we both want it the same. You know, he wants it just as bad as I do, if not even more, I believe."
Jonathan Di Bella added that his relationship with his father and head coach is nothing short of spectacular, especially since they reached the peak of success as he added:
"So yeah, it's cool to share. That's one thing that's good, that we're always together training, and we're always together talking about what's coming up next. It's been a great journey since I was a kid."
The 27-year-old fighter is fresh off a successful world title defense against the challenge of Danial Williams in October 2023 at ONE Fight Night 15, where he picked up a unanimous decision nod from the judges to keep his championship on his waist.
His next fight against Prajanchai takes place inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Jonathan Di Bella says he's ready to trade powerful strikes with Prajanchai
Jonathan Di Bella is currently preparing to defend his 26-pound golden belt against Prajanchai and spoil his attempt to become a two-sport world champion. He even acknowledged the power that the Thai star possesses but vowed to trade bombs with him.
Additionally, he pointed out that his upcoming opponent has good boxing skills, which he attributed to his previous experience as a regional boxing champion before officially transitioning to Muay Thai.
ONE Friday Fights 58 is available on the ONE Super App, the official ONE Championship YouTube channel, and other digital platforms. Check your local listing for more details.