Jonathan Di Bella and Sam-A Gaiyanghadao seem set for an interim kickboxing title showdown in ONE Championship after both hinted at a big fight announcement.
The 28-year-old Canadian-Italian Di Bella lost the strawweight title to Prajanchai PK Saenchai in a controversial decision at Bangkok’s Impact Arena last June.
He has since seen repeated calls for a rematch fall on deaf ears, with the two-sport champion Prajanchai now confirmed to be defending his strawweight Muay Thai title on February 8 against Ellis Barboza at ONE Fight Night 28.
With the strawweight kickboxing title facing another few months at least of inactivity, ONE appears set to keep the division moving with a highly anticipated battle between two former champions.
“See you soon,” Di Bella wrote in a social media post this week, with a “crown” emoji – indicating his next fight would be for a belt.
Sam-A had also indicated a golden opportunity was on the horizon for him. “Wait to hear the big news soon. I’m so excited,” he wrote in a social media post of his own.
No official confirmation has been given, though it is likely the fight could fall in February or March – possibly on ONE 171 in Qatar, or ONE 172 in Japan.
The 41-year-old Thai legend Sam-A, who lost his belt by decision to Prajanchai in 2021 and was then knocked out by his compatriot in 2023 – has shown age is just a number with a stunning recent resurgence.
He toppled Akram Hamidi with a first round knockout in September before a technical masterclass against Zhang Peimian in November.
Di Bella also bounced back from his defeat to Prajanchai with a convincing decision win over Portugal’s Rui Botelho.
“I hope for a title fight next,” Di Bella told the Bangkok Post in December after beating Botelho at ONE Fight Night 26.
“That would be great – Sam-A is a legend. He showed it in his last fight against Zhang. He’s awesome.
“When I signed to ONE he was the champion in kickboxing. So I was looking forward to fighting him. I was training hard to fight him and then he retired.
“Then I became champion and now it’s like we’re around the corner together again. It’s cool. That would be a great fight. It would be an honour to fight him.”