At ONE 172, Johnathan Di Bella would return to form after losing his kickboxing world title to Muay Thai phenom Prajanchai. He would earn interim gold against living legend Sam-A. As in their bout, Johnathan Di Bella would show his improvements with his renewed kicking and volume punching to overwhelm the former ONE Muay Thai champion.
Di Bella thoroughly chopped down the legend’s leg with karate-style leg kicks, phenomenal boxing, and hooks from his southpaw stance. That would rock the Thai legend multiple times and put him on the back foot, as Sam-A showed his age, as he wasn’t able to match Di Bella’s output and pressure.