A world title defence nearly four years in the making. ONE Championship has confirmed Jonathan Di Bella will put the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship on the line against China's "Fighting Rooster" Zhang Peimian at The Inner Circle 22 on 17 July at Lumpinee Stadium, live on live.onefc.com.
When they first met in October 2022, Di Bella was an undefeated 10-0 debutant stepping into the world's largest martial arts organisation. Zhang was a teenage phenom. Five rounds of elite kickboxing later, Di Bella claimed the inaugural belt via unanimous decision — and the division has revolved around him ever since.
The years between have been anything but straightforward. A failed hydration test cost him a title defence in April 2024. A narrow loss to Prajanchai PongSuphan PK in June 2024 ended his unbeaten run. Each setback, Di Bella answered — decisively. An interim title won over his idol Sam-A Gaiyanghadao. A crushing unification rematch against Prajanchai. Record now: 15-1.
Di Bella arrives as the undisputed, unified ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion — the fighter who has beaten the division's best and come back stronger from the one loss that tested his character. Lightning-fast striking, exceptional fight IQ, and the slickest boxing in the strawweight division define his game.
Zhang, now 22, is a different animal from the teenager Di Bella defeated in 2022. Two consecutive victories over Thongpoon PK Saenchai and Ellis Badr Barboza have restored his momentum and his confidence. The Shengli Fight Club fighter carries a 20-5 record and the hunger of someone who has spent four years preparing for this rematch.
His devastating left hook and relentless volume have always made him dangerous. Now, with seasoning and a point to prove, Zhang represents the most motivated version of himself — a fighter who knows exactly what he missed the first time and intends to correct it at Lumpinee Stadium on 17 July.
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