ONE Interim Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Di Bella has found love and motivation intertwined as he prepares for his title unification bout against two-sport king Prajanchai PK Saenchai at ONE Fight Night 36 on Saturday, 4 October, in Bangkok, Thailand.The 29-year-old Italian-Canadian recently became engaged to longtime girlfriend Emely Elizabeth Rodriguez in a romantic proposal that has been years in the making.
"I got engaged recently. It was a long time coming. I've been with her for many years. I've known her since elementary school," Di Bella revealed.
The Team Di Bella Kickboxing representative had been planning the perfect moment for months, carrying the engagement ring for half a year before finding the ideal opportunity after his victory over legendary Sam-A Gaiyanghadao in March 2025.
"After the Sam-A fight, I knew I was going to have a little break and go away to Miami. I wanted to do something there. I got the ring like six months before. So, I'm like, 'I'm ready, I have to do it now.' And I decided to do something special," the Montreal-based striker said.
The proposal proved successful, but Rodriguez has added extra motivation for her fiance's upcoming championship unification bout against the 30-year-old Thai legend.
"She said, 'Go beat Prajanchai, and then we can discuss about the wedding,'" Di Bella shared with a smile.
This rematch carries significant weight for Di Bella, who lost to Prajanchai via unanimous decision for the vacant ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in June 2024. The Thai, who holds both the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Titles and has a 7-1 ONE record and 344 career victories, represents the ultimate test.
Di Bella enters riding a two-fight winning streak with a 4-1 ONE record and 14-1 overall striking record. The unification bout promises to determine the undisputed strawweight kickboxing champion while potentially clearing the path for wedding planning discussions between the newly engaged couple.
ONE Fight Night 36 will be broadcast live on JioHotstar and Star Sports Select 2 at 6:30 a.m. IST on Saturday, 4 October.
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