from working for the Albanian mafia to European champion in bare-knuckle boxing
Martial arts always They tell us movie storiesand even some that surpass science fiction. Franco Tenaglia (Argentina, 1996) is one of those people who embody this statement. Born 29 years ago in the Argentine city of Bursaco, in Buenos Aires, the fighter from Alicante has always wanted to be in the moment: live well after the fight and be free to make decisions.
But to achieve this, Tenaglia had to endure many dark chapters in his life, some of which even allowed him to bare his teeth to death. This Saturday, the one known as the King of the Street for his experience in street fighting and his tough, winning mentality will compete for the Bare Knuckle FC world title in Marbella against Tony Soto in bare knuckle boxing.
There he will present himself not only as a challenger, but also as a European champion, as he won the BKFC Continental Lightweight Championship in April 2024, beating James Lilley, a more experienced opponent, in a tough fight in Great Britain.
Now, with Conor McGregor taking over Bare Knuckle, the promoter’s popularity has skyrocketed, and this is the most important moment in the career of Tenaglia, who is also a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter based at the Kliment Club (founded by the trainers of Ilya Topuria).
Who is Franco Tenaglia
Tenaglia, who always wanted to become a professional fighter since his days in Argentina, moved to Europe with a very clear goal. From the moment he landed in London, the Argentine fighter began to participate in street fights, as he could not properly participate in fight promotions due to lack of documents.
There he began to gain his first kilograms. However, his life was still unstable and he found “work” for the Albanian mafia. This path led him to uncontrollable violence and very dangerous situations where he was close to death. He was even shot down almost fatally. He also passed through Wales, particularly through Cardiff, where his name became very popular due to the good results he achieved.
Everything worked out for him to abandon that life, which was destined to end in a shameful way: usually the end is prison or death. And he visited Spain, in particular to the Clement club, the gym of Ilya and Alexander Topuria, run by Agustin and Jorge Clement. A new stage has begun, the current one, which made him one of the most popular fighters in our country..
With over 330,000 followers on Instagram, “YouTuber” Jordi Wild’s participation in the event allowed him to make his name known throughout the world. His MMA career began to take off rapidly, but especially in bare-knuckle boxing, where he is currently a European champion and a contender for the world title. A street warrior who found a life away from crime through martial arts.