‘I Fell In Love With It’ – The Unlikely Journey That Carried Lenny Blasi From Milan To The Global Stage

Lenny Blasi, a 22-year-old Italian Muay Thai fighter, will headline ONE Championship’s Inner Circle 28 on August 28 in a bantamweight main event against Thailand’s Worapon Lukjaoporongtom. The fight will stream exclusively for members on live.onefc.com during Asia primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. Blasi’s journey from a football-averse child in Milan to a rising global contender reflects an unconventional path shaped by early family influence and a chance encounter with Muay Thai at age eight.

Raised in Milan where football dominates youth sports, Blasi’s parents steered him toward alternative activities, leading him to a local gym just 100 meters from home. That gym, though modest, had produced former ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Joseph Lasiri, who became Blasi’s childhood idol. Despite Muay Thai’s limited popularity in Italy at the time, the sport’s intensity and the gym’s culture transformed Blasi’s introverted demeanor into self-assurance as coaches and peers recognized his potential.

Blasi’s progression from a shy teenager to a determined athlete was gradual, marked by small victories that reinforced his commitment. By his early teens, he began to view Muay Thai not just as a hobby but as a calling, driven by consistent recognition of his skills. His pragmatic approach to training led him to Thailand, the sport’s epicenter, where he balances the demands of fight camps with the comfort of home in Italy, returning periodically to recharge among family and friends.

Now poised to carry forward the legacy of champions like Lasiri and Jonathan Di Bella, Blasi views his role as both an honor and a responsibility. His upcoming fight at Lumpinee Stadium represents a pivotal moment in his career, as he seeks to cement his place among Italy’s growing cohort of global Muay Thai competitors. The event underscores the sport’s expanding reach beyond its traditional borders.