Jonathan Di Bella Taking “Rocky Mentality” Into Championship Clash At ONE Friday Fights 68

Jonathan Di Bella was set to defend his ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in April at ONE Friday Fights 58 against divisional Muay Thai king Prajanchai PK Saenchai until an illness forced him to withdraw just one day prior.

Due to being sick, the Italian-Canadian failed to make weight and hydration, and he had to relinquish the strawweight crown. But next Friday, 28 June, at ONE Friday Fights 68, Di Bella meets Prajanchai to reclaim the vacant title he was never beaten for inside Bangkok, Thailand's Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Reflecting on what led to him losing the belt, one can see that Di Bella is tough. After all the training he had put in for ONE Friday Fights 58, he would've rather fought sick than not fight at all. But once he went to hospital, the situation was clear.

"I went to do the face-off because I was hoping that the fight was still going on. I was going to the hospital, and I thought maybe they could give me something to make me feel better," he said.

"I remember facing off, and I was holding in my puke. I was about to throw up on him. I'm like, 'Don't throw up on him. This thing's going viral if I puke!'

"So we went to the hospital, I threw up, they put me back on the bed, they put IVs in me, and I woke up in my hotel room the next day. I don't remember what happened. I was still not feeling well. But then I started realizing I had lost my belt, and I couldn't believe this had happened. As soon as I found out, it was heartbreaking."

Across two performances that saw him capture the gold at ONE 162 against Zhang Peimian and defend it against Danial Williams last October at ONE Fight Night 15, Di Bella's stock glistened.

Coincidentally, his first World Title defense last year came inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium, where he was met with resounding applause upon retaining his gold. But when he steps in there this time, the 27-year-old expects a different reception.

This time, he's facing one of Bangkok, Thailand's proudest fighting sons. So essentially, he'll be walking into hostile territory. But like Rocky 4, entering enemy grounds will only spur Di Bella's burning heart to win.

"I have a champion's mindset, but now I'm the underdog, so I feel even more focused. I want to win every fight. But especially now that I don't have the belt anymore. I want to bring it back for my family. That's my motivation," he said.

"Fighting in his hometown in front of his family, his people, I feel like it's a Rocky vs. Drago type of story. I'm going in there with a Rocky mentality and getting my belt back."