“He’s putting guys to sleep” - Jonathan Di Bella says 41-year-old Sam-A is still a force to be reckoned with

Respect where respect is due - Jonathan Di Bella is holding his upcoming competition in high regard. The former ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion is well aware of the threat that awaits and knows exactly what he's walking into at ONE 172 - a showdown with one of Muay Thai's most respected veterans, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.

In an interview with Combat Sports Today, Di Bella spoke about his thoughts on Sam-A's return to the Circle:

"Yeah, it's very interesting," he said. "He's been better than ever for some reason. I don't know what it is, but yeah, he's back and he's putting guys to sleep and I'm excited to test myself against a legend."

Sam-A shows no signs of slowing down even at 41 years old. Since returning to competition in 2023 after a two-year hiatus, the Thai icon has looked sharp, winning three out of four fights with two knockouts. Now, he's back and ready to reclaim his 26 pounds of gold.

Watch the full interview below:

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Former champ Jonathan Di Bella admits he's "looking forward" to facing Thai legend Sam-A the moment he signed with ONE

This bout has been simmering for years. Jonathan Di Bella had once dreamed of fighting against the legendary Sam-A Gaiyanghadao upon signing with ONE Championship:

Here's what Di Bella told ONE:

"When I signed to ONE Championship, he was the champion at the time," Di Bella told ONE. "I was looking forward to getting fights and working my way up to fight him eventually, but then he retired."

Sam-A was briefly out of the picture, but now the stars have finally aligned. Jonathan Di Bella gets his chance to test his skills against the legend. All that's left is to beat him, and then the dream becomes reality.

ONE 172: Takeru vs Rodtang takes place at the Saitama Super Arena on March 23. Fans from all over the world can watch via PPV on watch.onefc.com.