Jonathan Di Bella describes new training partner Regian Eersel as “bigger version” of himself

Jonathan Di Bella discovered an unexpected friendship during his most crucial training camp. The ONE Interim Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion found kinship with lightweight ruler Regian Eersel while preparing for his title unification showdown.

Di Bella faces Prajanchai PK Saenchai for the undisputed ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Fight Night 36 on Prime Video on Friday, October 3, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The 29-year-old seeks redemption against the two-sport ONE World Champion who handed him his first professional defeat at ONE Friday Fights 68 in June.

Training camps often reveal unexpected connections between elite fighters. Di Bella experienced this firsthand when Eersel reached out during the lead-up to ONE Fight Night 34. The Dutch-Surinamese fighter contacted the Italian-Canadian about training together in New York, timing that worked perfectly for both world-class athletes.

Their partnership extended beyond typical sparring sessions at Striking 101 gym in New York. Di Bella recognized immediately that Eersel brought championship-level experience and technical mastery. The lightweight king’s reputation preceded him, but experiencing his skills firsthand validated everything Di Bella had heard about “The Immortal.”

Both fighters share similar philosophies about developing the next generation of martial artists. This common ground created an instant bond. Di Bella appreciated witnessing Eersel’s commitment to helping younger fighters alongside established professionals seeking improvement.

“He texted me, ‘Hey, when are you going to be there? Are you going to be in New York during this period?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, for sure.’ He knew I was always in New York, so I’m like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna link up, for sure,'” Di Bella said.

“I was so excited to work with him because I know he’s one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in kickboxing and Muay Thai. I knew I was going to get good work in and get good training, of course.”

Jonathan Di Bella and Regian Eersel plan future training sessions

Jonathan Di Bella and Regian Eersel completed four or five intense rounds together during their New York training session. The quality work immediately benefited Di Bella’s preparation for his upcoming unification bout against the dangerous Thai striker.

Eersel’s willingness to share knowledge impressed Di Bella beyond their technical exchanges. The lightweight demonstrated the same mentorship approach that Di Bella values, working with fighters at various skill levels rather than focusing solely on elite competition partners.

Their brief collaboration established a foundation for future training partnerships. Both champions expressed enthusiasm about continued work together when schedules permit, creating opportunities for mutual improvement at the sport’s highest level.

“I respect Eersel even more now because I see him working not just with me, but I see him working with everybody else, just like I do. Like, we both have the same mentality,” Di Bella said.

“I feel like he’s a bigger version of myself, like just a bigger version. He’s always like, ‘Bro, I want to come. Whenever I come to New York, we’ll train together,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, 100 percent. Just call me and text me, and we’ll train together.'”