Naito seeks Di Bella title fight after beating Kongthoranee in Bangkok
The Japanese fighter recorded his fourth successive victory and wants to contest ONE’s vacant flyweight kickboxing title.
Taiki Naito wants to face Jonathan Di Bella for ONE’s vacant flyweight kickboxing championship after defeating Thailand’s Kongthoranee Sor Sommai at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok on November 6. The win at ONE Fight Night 49 took the Japanese fighter’s professional record to 40-14.
Naito, 30, told ONE Championship that he believed his four consecutive victories justified a title opportunity. His preferred opponent, Di Bella, holds the organisation’s strawweight kickboxing belt.
The Bangkok contest followed Naito’s loss to Kongthoranee in an October 2023 Muay Thai bout. Naito played down the idea of revenge, saying he regarded their latest meeting as a separate contest because it was fought under kickboxing rules.
Naito landed body punches during the second round, but Kongthoranee countered with a left hook. In the final round, Naito knocked the Thai fighter down with a left hook of his own. He said that without the knockdown, the outcome would have remained uncertain.
A meeting with Di Bella is not confirmed. ONE chairman and chief executive Chatri Sityodtong has indicated that Di Bella is expected to defend his strawweight title at ONE 174 in December. Naito said he was prepared to wait for the champion to complete those commitments.
