Jonathan Kogasso delivered a stunning performance last night in the main event of the card organized by Edoardo Germani’s TAF at the Allianz Cloud in Milan. He destroyed the dangerous challenger Morike Oulare in just two rounds, successfully defending his Italian cruiserweight title. This was Kogasso’s first defense of the national belt, which he had won last November against Roberto Lizzi.
Oulare started the fight with confidence, taking control of the center of the ring and applying measured pressure in the first round, avoiding an all-out assault from the opening bell as he had done in previous fights. However, Kogasso kept him at bay with a sharp and precise left jab and smartly secured the round with a late surge in the final ten seconds.
The main event ended abruptly in the second round before the fighters even had time to settle in, thanks to two masterful punches. During one of the first fierce exchanges, a right hand from Kogasso landed on Oulare’s left temple, causing him to lose control of his legs and crash to the canvas.
The challenger bravely got back up and, despite being dazed, tried to continue the fight. Instead of tightening his guard and keeping his distance to weather the storm, however, Oulare recklessly attempted to load up a powerful punch, only to be immediately met with a devastating right hand from Kogasso that left him with no way out.
The Italian cruiserweight champion continues to make significant progress. Compared to his early days as a professional, his defense, footwork, and coordination have improved considerably, to the point where he can now look beyond the Italian scene with reasonable optimism and set his sights on more prestigious stages.
Oulare likely paid the price for his inexperience. With only six professional fights before last night, the challenger had never faced someone capable of effectively neutralizing his overwhelming physicality. Despite trying to fight with more caution than usual, he left too many openings for his opponent to exploit.
The young fighter from Guinea, however, is only 26 years old and has all the tools to bounce back from this tough defeat and return with confidence for future title opportunities. He will need to put in hard work at the gym, focusing particularly on his defense, but time is on his side.