He was ranked in the welterweight top 10 by Combat Press.[2][3][4]
Kickboxing career
Early years
Kongolo was scheduled to fight Miran Fabjan for the WKN European Super Middleweight title.[5] Kongolo won the fight by decision.[6] He made his first title defense against Peter Baumler, winning by a first round KO.[7]
In 2014, he fought Roberto Cocco for the WKN Intercontinental Super Middleweight Championship.[8] Kongolo won the fight by split decision.[9]
SUPERKOMBAT
At the end of 2014, after the victory over Cédric Doumbé in the regional circuit, Kongolo signed with the largest continental promotion SUPERKOMBAT Fighting Championship. He made his debut in native Switzerland on 25 October 2014 against Jamie Bates at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix 2014 Final Elimination, stopping him in the 3rd round in light-heavyweight title eliminator.[10]
GLORY
Next year, Kongolo signed with the largest promotion in the world Glory and fought in the 2015 Glory Welterweight Contender tournament. He lost to Karim Ghajji in the semifinals.[11]
During Glory 29, Kongolo challenged for the Glory Welterweight title, held at the time by Nieky Holzken. Holzken won the fight by unanimous decision.[12]
He participated in the 2016 Glory Welterweight Contender Tournament. He managed to win a split decision against Harut Grigorian in the semifinals, but lost a unanimous decision to Murthel Groenhart in the finals.[13]
Kongolo took part in the 2017 Glory Welterweight Contender Tournament. In the semifinals, he won a unanimous decision against Konstantin Khuzin. In the finals, he prevailed against Karim Benmansour by a third round TKO.[14]
Yoann was scheduled to fight a rematch with Cedric Doumbe during Glory 39, for the Glory Welterweight title. Kongolo was less successful then in their first fight, losing by unanimous decision.[15][16]
He fought Abdallah Mabel in November 2018. Kongolo won the fight by unanimous decision.[19]
Kongolo fought Dmitry Menshikov during Glory 69: Düsseldorf. He lost the fight at the tail end of the second round, by TKO, as the ringside doctor stopped the fight.[20]
Doping suspension
On 11 September 2019, it was announced that Kongolo was sanctioned by the National Anti-Doping Agency of France with a 4-year ban and a fine of €5,000 due to the presence of methandrostenolone and stanozolol. The ban applies from 30 September 2019. Kongolo tested positive on 4 August 2018 at Fight Night in Saint-Tropez, France.[21][22]
Professional boxing career
In 2017 Kongolo fought Salambek Baysangurov for the vacant World Boxing Council International Silver Light Heavyweight title. He won the fight by majority decision.[23] He successfully defended the title against Andrejs Pokumeiko, winning by unanimous decision.[24]
He won the vacant EBU External Light Heavyweight title with a decision win against Enes Zecirevic.[25]
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