Kinshasa and Voghera are divided by 8,522 km, by habits, customs and traditions. But points of contact, as in all things, there are. For example boxing. In Kinshasa, when it was called Zaire and not the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most famous matches in history took place, ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. One of the brightest talents of Italian boxing of the last thirty years, the great Giovanni Parisi, lived in Voghera. The trait d’union is Jonathan Kogasso: 28 years old, born in Kinshasa, lives in Voghera. Profession: boxer, light heavyweight category. Aspirations: get to the top of the world. Next step, Saturday evening at the Allianz Cloud in Milan: WBC Mediterranean title against Goran Babic, co-main event of the awaited all-Italian challenge between Morello and Chiancone. The meeting from 7.30 pm live on DAZN.
In DR Congo up to 8 years
“I was born in Kinshasa and stayed there until I was 8 years old. Then I moved to Italy to live with an aunt – says the boxer -. In my adolescence I played football in local teams, as an old-fashioned, breakthrough centre-forward. But honestly, I soon realized that I wouldn’t make it in that sport.” Then he came to boxing, casually, without vocation: “I had never thought about it and I had never followed boxing, apart from meeting Ali and Tyson. It happened that a friend of mine from Voghera saw me with my head in the clouds and some wrong company. Basically I wasted time on the street doing nothing and after some doubts I entered the gym dedicated to Giovanni Parisi. There I grew up with the old school of maestro Livio Lucarno, based on discipline and respect”.
A dignified but not easy childhood
Jonathan is the father of a one and a half year old boy, lucky to have been born in a place and in a time where life is easier. “Although I can only define my childhood as difficult if we compare it to that of Italian children. Military father and merchant mother worked hard and ensured me a dignified life. Although it is clear, there was no shortage of difficulties. It happened that you spent the day fasting waiting to eat in the evening, and if you only had one pair of shoes you had to be careful not to ruin them otherwise you would be in trouble.”
Kogasso speaks five languages: “University is also in the future”
In short, a place in which to grow quickly: “Here a 6 year old goes to school held by the hand, in Kinshasa we went alone with the possibility of having to manage force majeure. But all this helped me a lot.” Jonathan integrated without problems in Voghera: “I speak five languages. English, French, obviously Italian, Spanish and Lingala (the language of DR Congo) . I work at the University of Pavia, but I am not registered as a student. It’s a project that I have and that sooner or later I will put into practice. I would like to graduate in languages.”
Italy is not a racist country
Italian citizenship, which could arrive at any moment (“Practices started some time ago”), would be the completion of the process: “I have always felt at home, everyone helped me. The racism? Apart from a few stupid people, never had any serious problems. I think that Italy is not a racist country, anyone who claims otherwise has done little. I have relatives here and there around the world, I can make comparisons and affirm it with full knowledge of the facts.” He defines himself as a technical and fast boxer (“sometimes even too much…, but I’m very self-critical”) and Mamba’s alias speaks clearly in this sense.
The regret of the Olympics
He is a quiet boy with one big regret: “Not having gone to the Tokyo Olympics. I spent 4 years waiting for the qualifying tournament in Senegal. When the time came I had also purchased a ticket, then I was told by the federal leaders of the DR Congo that it was preferable for boxers residing in their homeland to compete. Result, the one they unfairly chose in my place was immediately eliminated. Then due to Covid there were no more qualifying tournaments and I was left out. If I had known, I would have gained three years of professionalism.” In short, making up for lost time, starting from the match with Babic: “I want to touch the sky as they say in Africa, to be number one in the world.”
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– 2024-04-20 04:25:48
