“There Is No Underdog Here” – Prajanchai Says Fight With Former Kickboxing King Jonathan Di Bella Will Be on a Level Playing Field at ONE Friday Fights 68

ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai PK Saenchai is targeting two-sport supremacy, and he is confident that he can pull off capturing gold in kickboxing in his upcoming bout. 

This Friday, June 28, the Thai star will face former ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Di Bella for the vacant divisional crown at the main event of ONE Friday Fights 68 inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Prajanchai PK Saenchai has an edge over Jonathan Di Bella

The pair were supposed to square off last April at ONE Friday Fights 58, but their match fell after illness caused Di Bella to miss weight and hydration, which caused him to be stripped of the title and pulled from the card.

Considering the outcome of their first scheduled meeting, Prajanchai thinks he may have a mental edge over his opponent. In an interview with ONE, he explained that Di Bella may believe he has more to prove at ONE Friday Fights 68. 

“I think Jonathan will feel more pressure than me because he used to say that he stands at the top. I replied that it will hurt more if you fall. I think he realized what I meant from last time. He didn’t lose to me, he lost to himself, and he just fell from the top,” he said.  

Of course, it’d be difficult to count Di Bella out of any fight. Undefeated in 12 professional encounters, he has only fought in World Title matches since arriving in the world’s largest martial arts organization. 

He captured the inaugural strawweight kickboxing belt by edging out Chinese star Zhang Peimian in a five-round war at ONE 162 in October 2022. One year later, he cemented his reign in a masterclass against multi-sport star Danial Williams at ONE Fight Night 15.

Saenchai believes there would be no underdogs in his fight against Di Bella

Di Bella’s credentials are not lost on Prajanchai, and he’s bracing for a tough challenge ahead. 

When it comes to a favorite, there are a couple of things to consider. The strawweight Muay Thai will have a home turf advantage in the Thai capital, but he’ll be competing in only his second kickboxing fight in ONE against an undeniable star of the sport.

This, he believes, gives him a slight disadvantage. Though overall, the 29-year-old sees it as a pretty level playing field. 

“But there is no underdog here. It doesn’t matter which country you come to fight in. In fact, I should be an underdog because he is a veteran in kickboxing. He fought kickboxing all his life while I am still wet behind the ears in this rule set,” Prajanchai said.