ONE Championship: Chatri ‘respects’ Jon Di Bella, Joseph Lasiri but ‘wants active champions’

ONE’s CEO says matchmaking team have ‘tried their best to give fights’ to strawweight kickboxing and Muay Thai champs

Chatri insists remarks attributed to him regarding the two were ‘mistranslated’ from Thai media

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Italian-Canadian Jon Di Bella celebrates after winning the ONE strawweight kickboxing title with a decision defeat of China’s Zhang Peimian. Photo: ONE Championship.

Published: 12:58pm, 28 Jun 2023

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong has insisted he “respects” Joseph Lasiri and Jonathan Di Bella, and claimed that remarks regarding the two champions that were attributed to him were “mistranslated” from Thai media.

Italian-Canadian Di Bella, 26, has not fought since winning the vacant strawweight kickboxing title at ONE 162 in October. The Singapore-based martial arts promotion has since tried to book him in a title rematch with China’s Zhang Peimian, whom he defeated via decision to win the title.

Strawweight Muay Thai champion Lasiri, meanwhile, has not defended his belt since defeating Prajanchai PK Saenchai via doctor stoppage in May 2022. With Lasiri injured, ONE created an interim title which was claimed by Prajanchai last weekend in Bangkok after a stunning knockout of Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.

“Lasiri said to me he is willing to defend against anybody and we had a nice talk and cleared it out,” Chatri told the Post backstage after ONE Friday Fights 22 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

“I respect Lasiri, that’s why we gave him the opportunity to move up in weight and challenge Rodtang [for the flyweight Muay Thai title in November 2022]. He had a rough start in ONE, then he became world champion. I love that story. He’s a very good fighter.

“But my competition team does the matchmaking. I run the company, so they give me input. From what they tell me, they have tried their best to give fights to both Jonathan Di Bella and to Joseph Lasiri.”

Joseph Lasiri poses with the ONE strawweight Muay Thai title after a win over Prajanchai. Photo: ONE Championship

The kickboxing champion’s father and trainer Angelo Di Bella insisted to the Post that they had asked many times to fight since January. He said they were originally offered a date on last weekend’s June 23 show, and began their training camp.