"Still a hero" - Liam Harrison, pros, and fans show love to Thai legend Sam-A after epic barnburner against Jonathan Di Bella

Sam-A Gaiyanghado may have come up short in his quest to reclaim 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold over the weekend, but his standing in the combat sports world remains as revered as ever.

The Thai legend bowed to Jonathan Di Bella in a five-round war for the ONE interim strawweight kickboxing world title at ONE 172, which took place at the fabled Saitama Super Arena in Japan last Sunday, March 23.

The 41-year-old veteran had his hands full against a much younger opponent in his prime. From the opening bell, Di Bella established a frenetic pace that put Sam-A on the defensive.

Moreover, targeting Sam-A's legs early allowed the Italian-Canadian striker to neutralize his celebrated opponent's signature movement and offensive rhythm.

As the bout progressed, Sam-A struggled to find his footing as Di Bella masterfully mixed up his combinations to keep him off balance.

Despite the adversity, the seasoned Thai warrior refused to fold, digging deep in his bag of tricks in an effort to gain momentum toward the end. However, Di Bella's precision and tactical execution denied Sam-A's advances, losing by unanimous decision.

As Sam-A took to Instagram to apologize to his supporters for the unsuccessful campaign, fans and peers alike reached out to console him in the comment section.

Liam Harrison wrote:

"Still a hero."

Meanwhile, Di Bella gave his flowers to the Thai striking icon:

"Legend."

Comments from Instagram

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Sam-A ushers in a must-see divisional matchup

Sam A Gaiyanghadao may not have secured victory at ONE 172, but this has set the stage for the next intriguing showdown in the division.

Now as the ONE interim strawweight kickboxing world champion, Jonathan Di Bella has the golden ticket to a unification clash with reigning king Prajanchai PK Saenchai later this year.

This wouldn't be their first encounter, though. The two warriors initially crossed paths at ONE Friday Fights 68 in June 2024, where Prajanchai edged out Di Bella via unanimous decision to seize the throne atop the weight class.

With an interim world titleholder in the mix, a highly anticipated rematch is on the horizon.