Prajanchai Edges Out Di Bella To Capture ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title At ONE Friday Fights 68
On June 28, Prajanchai PK Saenchai entered a category that only few fighters can dream of.
The 29-year-old Thai superstar narrowly defeated former divisional king Jonathan Di Bella to capture the vacant ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 68, adding to his reign as the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion.
The battle at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, began with Di Bella smartly using his 5-inch reach advantage. From the outside, he touched up Prajanchai with punches and kicks, keeping him from closing the distance.
For nearly two rounds, the Italian-Canadian’s strategy worked. But in round three, Prajanchai discovered a way through his foe’s range and began landing straight left punches and kicks with laser-like precision.
Di Bella’s head bobbled as the shots ricocheted off his jaw and he tried to work out the sudden shift in his opponent’s approach.
By the championship rounds, the belt was still up for grabs, and both fighters knew it.
Prajanchai sunk his feet into the canvas and winged punches at Di Bella, following up with kicks that battered the former titleholder’s body and arms. Di Bella, for his part, bit down on his mouthpiece and fired back with dizzying hand combinations.
It was the type of chaos that both brings together and separates fight fans – everyone shared in the joy of the high-level battle but not everyone agreed on the outcome.
In the end, the only verdict that mattered was that of the judges. They scored the unanimous decision for Prajanchai, who handed Di Bella the first defeat of his professional or amateur career.
The PK Saenchai representative not only improved his career record to 343-52 and became a two-sport ONE World Champion; he might have also started an epic rivalry that could very well feature a sequel.
