Di Vera may be a kickboxing specialist, but he believes there's a reason Prajanchai is the favorite.
Prajanchai may be a relative newcomer to the sport, but his experience in other fields more than makes up for it.
“I will be traveling 20 hours around the world to his hometown, but he has all the experience in boxing and Muay Thai so I think it will be an even fight.
“I believe I'm losing this fight, but I'm going to shock the world.”
Di Vera has never faced an opponent of Prajanchai's caliber. He knows it's a step up, but he wants to test his mettle against the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
“Whether amateur or professional [fights] I'm not defeated. I fought against top opponents and never turned down a challenge.
“American champion, Chinese champion, I've always fought against top guys. I want to go to the next level, and he's the next level.”
Training is a family affair for him and he lives with his coach who also happens to be his father.
It's an unusual arrangement, but Di Bella, who has Italian roots, says it worked very well.
“Our relationship is very good. [because] I live in his house and he is very strict. Every day he wakes me up and goes to train, working hard early in the morning and late at night.
“Basic things, doing the same thing over and over again. It can be physically and mentally tiring, but you still have to work hard.”
De Vera has never played against a Thai opponent, but says he knows what to expect from Prajanchai at Lumphini Stadium.
“I have never trained with the Thais, but I know the style and am excited to challenge my skills against one of the best players in the world.”
Prajanchai has already lost to the Italian in one of the biggest upsets in ONE Championship history, being stopped by Joseph Lasiri in 2022.
Di Vera chose to downplay the loss and doesn't think Prajanchai's loss to Lasiri, who later got his revenge in the rematch, meant much.
“Sometimes it happens, and sometimes you have a bad night, and sometimes you get caught. In a fight, you never know what's going to happen, so you always have to be prepared.”
Di Bella, 27, doesn't seem to have had a bad night in the ring and is yet to taste defeat, winning all 18 fights.
But a victory over Prajanchai will be more than just winning number 19. It also instantly establishes Di Bella as one of the biggest stars in kickboxing, and he knows how high the stakes are this week.
“It will show me that I am real and at the next level and solidify me as one of the best kickboxers on the planet.”
But he was quick to deny that his undefeated record was carefully cultivated or that he was up against hand-picked opponents. Di Vera never turns down a fight, and he says he always wants to test himself against the division's elite.
“I like to win, I don't like to lose. I don't care about records, I don't try to protect my records, I always want to fight my best.”
Before signing with ONE Championship, he fought his entire professional career in New York, where he has a large following and has said he hopes to fight again later this year.
ONE 168 is scheduled to take place in Atlanta on November 8th, and Di Bella hopes to be a part of it.
“Atlanta is in November, but since it's on the East Coast, a lot of people come from New York, Florida, and Montreal, so I'd like to participate if possible.
“The whole Italian-American community will definitely come see it.”
But first, Di Vera will have to travel halfway around the world to compete in Prajanchai's hometown on Friday.
And as the underdog, the Canadian knows that if he defeats the Thai and silences his home crowd, he can quickly establish himself as a kickboxing legend.
