Jonathan Di Bella reveals the “one condition” from his wife that later led to his historic ONE strawweight title win

Jonathan Di Bella has opened up about the personal motivation behind the biggest win of his kickboxing career. The Italian-Canadian fighter said he would not have become the undisputed ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion without the love and support of his fiancée, Emily Elizabeth. Di Bella reached the top of the division after a long and demanding journey. He believes his success inside the ring is closely tied to the encouragement he received outside it.

Di Bella first made headlines in March when he won the interim strawweight title. He delivered a dominant five-round performance against former two-sport and two-division champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao. A few months later, he proposed to his longtime partner and received a happy yes. However, his fiancée reminded him that there was still unfinished business in his career before wedding plans could move forward.

Emily Elizabeth’s challenge fuels Jonathan Di Bella’s rise to the top

In his year-end interview with ONE Championship, Jonathan Di Bella explained how his fiancée played a key role in pushing him toward greatness. She made it clear that his biggest rival still stood in the way of true satisfaction. Her message was simple. She wanted him to defeat Prajanchai PK Saenchai first. Only after that would they seriously talk about getting married.

That challenge carried extra weight. Prajanchai was the only man to ever beat Di Bella in his professional career. The loss came in 2024 and stayed with him. Di Bella knew he had to work hard to earn a rematch. He fought his way back into title contention and waited patiently for his chance.

That opportunity arrived in October. On the big stage, Di Bella delivered one of the best performances of his career. He controlled the fight for all five rounds. He outclassed the Thai legend with sharp strikes, movement, and discipline. By the final bell, Di Bella had unified the 125-pound kickboxing titles and erased the lone defeat from his record.

After that victory, Di Bella was named ONE Championship’s Kickboxer of the Year. Despite the success, he knows the challenge has only grown. He said that winning the belt once is not enough for him. He wants to prove he belongs at the top for years to come. With more challengers lining up, Di Bella says staying focused and defending his title multiple times will define his legacy.

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