“I want to fight” - Jonathan Di Bella targets appearances on ONE Championship’s U.S. shows

ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion Jonathan Di Bella wants to be part of the promotion's scheduled live on-ground events in the United States this year.

Following a well-received U.S. debut in May last year in Colorado to bring its brand of world-class martial arts action closer to North American fans, ONE is preparing to make a return there in the second half of this year.

ONE is to hold two events in the U.S. in 2024, with the first happening this September in Denver, Colorado, and the second in November in Atlanta, Georgia.

In an interview with Calf Kick Sports, the Canadian-Italian champion signified that he wants to be part of at least one of the U.S. shows, if not both, to be able to compete in front of his fans in North America.

The 27-year-old Team Di Bella Kickboxing standout said:

"In terms of goals, I want to fight, or be part of the U.S. shows, the two U.S. shows, either September or November, yeah, I don't mind either one of those."

Check out what he had to say below:

ONE Championship's first live on-ground event in the U.S. took place in May 5, 2023 to a sold-out crowd at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado. It was headlined by the trilogy title fight between ONE flyweight MMA world champion Demetrious Johnson and Brazilian rival Adriano Moraes. 'Mighty Mouse' won it by unanimous decision.

---

Jonathan Di Bella focused for now on retaining ONE strawweight kickboxing world title

While he has hopes of competing in ONE Championship's shows in the United States later this year, Jonathan Di Bella is focusing for now on retaining the ONE strawweight kickboxing world title.

The reigning divisional king will defend his championship belt for the second time at ONE Friday Fights 58 on April 5 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. He will take on strawweight Muay Thai king Prajanchai PK Saenchai in an all-champiom title clash.

Jonathan Di Bella became world champion in October 2022, when he claimed the vacant ONE strawweight kickboxing world title with a unanimus decision win over Chinese phenom Zhang Peimian.

Back in October, he successfully defended it against Australian-Thai challenger Danial Williams with a decision victory.

Out to cut short Jonathan Di Bella's reign is Pranjanchai, 29, who is gunning to become a two-sport world champion after earning the undisputed strawweight Muay Thai title in December with a first-round KO of erswhile divsional king Joseph Lasiri in their unification bout.

ONE Friday Fights 58 will air live on April 5 via global pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com.