‘The Stars Are Aligning’ – Rui Botelho Expects To Continue Stunning Upset Streak Against Jonathan Di Bella
On December 6 in U.S. primetime, Rui Botelho will look to continue his incredible career turnaround and punch his ticket to a shot at the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title.
That evening, the Portuguese striker will battle former divisional kingpin Jonathan Di Bella in a high-stakes clash at ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Prime Video, which airs live from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
A former European Kickboxing Champion, Botelho arrived at the world’s largest martial arts organization with plenty of hype, but after initially struggling to win against top-flight competition, some fans and pundits wrote him off.
That all changed when he bounced back with a stunning upset of former ONE World Title challenger Zhang Peimian. Botelho then followed that up with an impressive decision victory over Thai fan favorite Thongpoon PK Saenchai this past October at ONE Fight Night 25.
Now riding a wave of momentum and loaded with hard-earned confidence, the 30-year-old has largely erased any doubts that he belongs among the best strikers on the planet.
He spoke to onefc.com about the key lesson he learned in his thrilling three-round war last time out:
“My fight with Thongpoon taught me that I can brawl and brawl well. It gave me a lot of confidence. If I can brawl with a Thai, I can do it with anyone. And I’ll show that [against Di Bella]. You’re going to have to knock me out.”
Botelho will now be facing the division’s speediest striker in Di Bella, who has lost just once in his professional career – a narrow decision defeat to reigning ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Prajanchai PK Saenchai.
Despite his foe’s accolades and accomplishments, the Portuguese fighter said that he sees a clear path to victory this Friday:
“What I’ve seen from Di Bella against Prajanchai, when he felt the knees, his stamina fell flat. I can drain the life from him with my knees. I’ll beat him in boxing and with my kicks, too. He’s open for a lot of it. I’m so happy for this fight.”
If he’s able to get past the Italian-Canadian superstar at ONE Fight Night 26 and extend his winning streak to three, Botelho could find himself fighting for 26 pounds of gold next.
With that in mind, he said this matchup with Di Bella is not his most important fight:
“No. The biggest fight of my life is coming next year for the World Title.
“I feel very confident, and I’m happy to get an opponent of this caliber. I’m very motivated to change my life. I’ve been at the bottom before in my personal life, too, and now I’m going up – so catch me if you can.”
Botelho: ‘I’ve Been Turning Over A New Leaf’
Rui Botelho’s pivotal showdown with Jonathan Di Bella on December 6 will come just under two weeks after his 30th birthday.
He said the timing is perfect. He’s growing older, entering a new decade, and proving people wrong with his dramatic career comeback story:
“The 3.0 version of me is coming. And the three-fight win streak is coming, too!
“I’m confident. I like to be confident, but I am grounded – win or lose. A new decade is coming for me as I turn 30. I think the stars are aligning for me to become the champ.”
Botelho’s losing skid is now far in his rearview mirror. He said that he’s a new and improved fighter – and that his current success is proof of that.
This Friday, he plans to continue turning heads en route to the coveted golden belt:
“I have definitely broken out from the pack this year. People shouldn’t underestimate me. They shouldn’t take me for granted. I will surprise you.
“This is my mentality. I know I’m making big improvements, and I will do my best to show everyone why I deserve to fight for the belt.
“I’ve been turning over a new leaf, especially as I approach 30. My goals are constantly changing. I start thinking about family, about the future. I have plenty of time left, but I want to win everything and make everything count.”
