2023 PFL mild heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay isn’t glad and refuses to settle. After claiming PFL gold for the primary time in his profession profitable the 2023 season, Kasanganay has rolled on in 2024. Starting his yr in a champions vs champions combat towards Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen, Kasanganay delivered regardless of not being on the profitable finish of the combat. A really shut combat towards the Bellator champion that some debated the PFL champion received, his confidence and focus by no means wavered.
Kasanganay would then take that very same confidence and focus into the primary spherical of the 2024 PFL mild heavyweight season and get a first-round end over Alex Polizzi, securing six factors to open the season. In a latest interview, Kasanganay mentioned his focus not solely to proceed his profitable methods, however to additionally elevate his dominance to a different stage with every efficiency shifting ahead.
Whereas he continues to rack up wins and stay deal with the duty at hand, he additionally maintains his want to present again to the subsequent era. Forward of his combat in Salt Lake Metropolis towards PFL Europe champion Jakob Nedoh, Impa Kasanganay took day out of his combat week to run a boxing class at native Final Fight Coaching Heart in Salt Lake Metropolis. Welcoming a category combined with women and men, youngsters and adults, Kasanganay made it a degree of emphasis to not simply run a few drills and name it a day, he spoke at size about methods, life classes, and answered all questions offered to him.
The distinction on this look for the reigning champion is that he wasn’t simply there for a fast photo-op. He put effort and time into coaching the category, taking a authentic curiosity in everybody that attended, regardless of their expertise or age. This wasn’t only a one-off both. Kasanganay mentioned his upbringing and the way preventing has modified his life, however as a lot as being a champion issues to him, giving again means simply as a lot, if no more. It’s a credit score to Impa Kasanganay not simply as a fighter, a world champion, however as a person, somebody who desires to hold his legacy lengthy after he’s achieved preventing, and go away the game higher than when he entered.
Showcasing a person of many skills inside and out of doors of the cage, Impa Kasanganay additionally spoke about his pursuit of a better schooling, seeking to earn an MBA and PhD from Harvard Enterprise College. Throughout an interview this week on Sirius XM’s ‘MMA At this time’ he opened up on why he’s pursuing a better schooling and why he desires to do it whereas preventing.
“Individuals suppose that in case you’re not solely doing preventing, you possibly can’t be all the way in which in.”@kingimpa explains how he balances preventing for @PFLMMA along with his pursuit of an MBA & PhD from Harvard Enterprise College
#PFLRegularSeason
Supply: MMA At this time w/Din Thomas & @AngieOverkill pic.twitter.com/P2n5cldfA1
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) June 19, 2024
“I need to try this whereas I’m preventing trigger so many inform you which you can’t do it whilst you’re preventing. I bear in mind the large argument final yr was folks asking ‘why are you doing this whilst you’re preventing?’ I used to be like watch me. Then I bought the primary the world title, I have a look at it as a problem.”
Making time to additional his schooling, give again to the neighborhood, coach the subsequent era, and proceed his preventing dominance, Impa Kasanganay defined why and the way he’s in a position to steadiness all of it as he continues to progress in his profession.
“Individuals suppose that since you’re not solely doing preventing which you can’t be all the way in which in. My final 10 fights, I’ve at all times been about constructing enterprise. I’d get up earlier than apply and prepare three or 4 shoppers after which I’d learn or do one thing. I used to be speaking to my coach earlier than I bought to Salt Lake Metropolis and he mentioned ‘You’ve by no means missed a apply, you’ve educated damage, you’ve educated injured, you’ve educated sick.’ for me, I get up every single day and I like it. I’m excited to go to the fitness center after which I go away the fitness center, achieved, exhausted. Perhaps my day begins at 4am and ends at 12am the subsequent day however I’m so excited to get again within the fitness center and spar. To be checked out of preventing, no.”
A frontrunner, a motivator, a person centered not solely on preventing however on his life targets outdoors of the cage. One who desires to excel in enterprise and in teaching as a lot as he desires to proceed dominating his preventing occupation. Impa Kasanganay isn’t just a person of many skills, he’s a person who desires to share these skills and the teachings he’s discovered with all these he is available in contact with. That’s the kind of famous person he’s develop into beneath the PFL banner and one that may proudly be represented for what he does outdoors of the cage, not simply inside it.
