ONE Championship has announced a champion-versus-champion kickboxing showdown between Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Jonathan Di Bella. The fight will take place at ONE SAMURAI 4 on October 17 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.


Superlek will defend his ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship against Di Bella, the reigning ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion. The Italian-Canadian fighter will move up from strawweight for an opportunity to capture a second ONE world title.


Known as “The Kicking Machine,” Superlek has established himself as one of the leading strikers of his generation. The Thai star has recorded 139 career victories and has remained champion despite spending much of the past two years competing in the bantamweight division.


One of Superlek’s most impressive kickboxing performances came against Japanese superstar Takeru Segawa at ONE 165. Superlek controlled the five-round contest with his powerful right kicks, disciplined defense and precise counterattacks to retain the flyweight title.


Before turning his attention to Di Bella, Superlek is scheduled to settle his rivalry with Abdulla Dayakaev in a Muay Thai rematch at The Inner Circle 25 on August 7.


Di Bella enters the superfight with a professional record of 16 victories and only one defeat. He captured the interim strawweight kickboxing title by defeating former two-division champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao before avenging his loss to Prajanchai PK Saenchai and becoming the undisputed champion.


The 29-year-old most recently defended his belt against Zhang Peimian in July. After defeating the leading challengers in his own division, Di Bella will now step up in weight for the biggest test of his career.


A victory in Tokyo would make Di Bella a two-division ONE world champion. Superlek, meanwhile, has an opportunity to defeat another reigning champion and strengthen his position among the world’s best pound-for-pound strikers.


ONE SAMURAI 4 will also feature Jonathan Haggerty defending the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship against former champion Hiroki Akimoto. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at Ariake Arena.