Franco Tenaglia: Argentina's First Bare Knuckle World Champion
Franco "King of the Street" Tenaglia is the Argentine fighter who climbed from small-purse bouts to the BKFC lightweight world championship. With a bare knuckle record of roughly 5-1, he won the inaugural European lightweight title in 2024 and the world title later that year, becoming the first Argentine world champion in bare knuckle boxing.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Franco Tenaglia |
| Nicknames | "Rey de la Calle" (King of the Street), "El Toro Argentino" |
| Born | Burzaco, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Resides | Alicante, Spain |
| Citizenship | Argentine, Spanish, Italian |
| Weight Class | Lightweight (~73 kg) |
| BKFC Record | 5-1 (approx.) |
| MMA Record | 6-2 (approx.) |
| Titles | BKFC European Lightweight Champion; BKFC World Lightweight Champion |
| Notable Wins | Tony Soto (world title), James Lilley (European title), Luke Nevin |
Overview
Franco Tenaglia's path to a world title runs through some of the leanest years a fighter can have. By his own account he once fought for as little as 500 euros, grinding through the European combat-sports circuit before BKFC gave him a platform. He came to bare knuckle from MMA, where he holds a record of roughly 6-2, and brought a finishing instinct that translated immediately to the gloveless format.
Tenaglia became the first Argentine world champion in bare knuckle boxing, a distinction that carries weight in a sport still building its international footprint. Fighting out of Alicante, Spain, and carrying Argentine, Spanish, and Italian citizenship, he has become one of the faces of BKFC's European expansion, with a bare knuckle record of about 5-1 and two championships to his name.
BKFC Career
Early Wins and a Lone Setback
Tenaglia announced himself with a second-round knockout of Chas Symonds in August 2022, the kind of finish that gets a fighter noticed. His only reported bare knuckle loss came by split decision to Edye Ruiz in February 2023, a close result that did not derail his momentum. He rebounded with a fourth-round TKO of Luke Nevin in April 2023, reestablishing himself as a finisher and a contender in the lightweight division.
Winning the European Title
Tenaglia claimed the inaugural BKFC European Lightweight Championship against England's James Lilley, a fighter with a strong reported record, winning by majority decision. The victory marked his transition from prospect to titleholder and set up a shot at the world championship.
World Champion in Marbella
On October 12, 2024, in Marbella, Spain, Tenaglia faced Tony "Loco" Soto for the vacant BKFC lightweight world championship and won by majority decision, with judges' scores reported at 47-45, 46-46, and 47-45. The win made him a world champion and, by multiple accounts, the first Argentine to hold a bare knuckle world title. The bout drew added attention for reportedly taking place with Conor McGregor, a BKFC stakeholder, in attendance.
Continued Activity
Tenaglia remained active into late 2025, with a reported split-decision result against Ben Bonner in October 2025. As with most active fighters, his exact record is best treated as approximate and continues to evolve.
Fighting Style
Tenaglia is an aggressive, power-oriented fighter whose MMA background shows in his comfort with finishing. Three of his early bare knuckle bouts ended by knockout or TKO, and that finishing threat forces opponents to respect his power even when they try to take him into the later rounds. The nickname "El Toro Argentino" — the Argentine Bull — captures the forward-driving nature of his game.
As his title fights show, Tenaglia can also win on the cards. His European and world titles both came by decision, evidence that he has the conditioning and ring craft to grind out close rounds against quality opposition when the early finish does not materialize. His lone loss, a split decision, suggests his vulnerabilities are narrow: against the best, the difference has come down to a round or two rather than any clear deficiency.
Notable Fights
Franco Tenaglia vs. Tony Soto (World Title — October 2024)
The biggest win of Tenaglia's career. He took a majority decision (reported 47-45, 46-46, 47-45) in Marbella to win the vacant BKFC lightweight world championship and become Argentina's first bare knuckle world champion.
Franco Tenaglia vs. James Lilley (European Title)
Tenaglia defeated the highly regarded Lilley by majority decision to win the inaugural BKFC European Lightweight Championship, the title that launched him toward the world stage.
Franco Tenaglia vs. Luke Nevin (April 2023)
A fourth-round TKO that reestablished Tenaglia as a finisher after his only bare knuckle loss, keeping his title run on track.
Legacy
Franco Tenaglia's legacy is tied to firsts. As the first Argentine bare knuckle world champion, he has become a flag-bearer for the sport in both Latin America and Europe, and his story — from 500-euro fights to a world title in Marbella — is exactly the kind of arc that helps a young sport build its mythology. He is among the fighters most responsible for giving BKFC's European division a genuine champion rather than a regional curiosity.
His record of roughly 5-1, two championships, and a finishing reputation place him among the most accomplished fighters in BKFC's international ranks and on any list of the best BKFC fighters of all time. Whether he eventually defends his world title on American soil against the promotion's deep stable of lightweights, his place as a pioneer for Argentine bare knuckle is already secure.
FAQ
What titles does Franco Tenaglia hold in BKFC?
Tenaglia won the inaugural BKFC European Lightweight Championship and later the BKFC World Lightweight Championship, defeating Tony Soto by majority decision in Marbella in October 2024.
Is Franco Tenaglia the first Argentine bare knuckle world champion?
By multiple accounts, yes. His world title win is reported as the first BKFC world championship held by an Argentine fighter.
What is Franco Tenaglia's record?
His bare knuckle record is approximately 5-1, with a single split-decision loss, alongside an MMA record of roughly 6-2. The exact figures are best treated as estimates.
