BEGINNINGS OF THE BAD BOY
Bogdan Stoica, aka “The Bucharest Bad Boy”, has a professional kickboxing record of 52-12, with 37 of those victories coming by way of knockout.
The 30-year-old has fought and defeated some of the biggest names and veterans of the sport, including Fabio Kwasi, Zinedine Hameur-Lain, and Fred Sikking.
Bogdan made his SUPERKOMBAT debut against the brother of Dževad Poturak, Dženan, with a knockout in an event that took place in Sibiu, Romania. In February 2011, he scored a smashing first-round knockout over an experienced Muay Thai fighter trained by Remy Bonjasky, Fred Sikking, which was the biggest win of his kickboxing career. This loss earned Sikking the second KO of his career in over 50 fights. The event took place in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Those wins paved the way to the SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight World Championship, WKU Cruiserweight World Title, and Enfusion Light Heavyweight World Championship. It’s also worth noting that Stoica has won two Wushu national titles in his home country.
Bogdan won the vacant SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight Championship by defeating WBC Muay Thai champion Ivan Stanić. Stoica looked outstanding in the fight. He dropped his opponent Stanić 3 times en route to winning the belt and landing some beautiful flying knees.
INTERVIEW
I recently got the opportunity to catch up with Bogdan Stoica. I had the opportunity to ask him about joining ONE Championship, and what made him the fighter he is today.
First of all, Bogdan, congratulations on signing with ONE Championship. What was it like growing up in Romania, tell us about your childhood?
Bogdan: Thank you. I had a pretty awesome childhood, mostly because we spent a lot of time playing outside, with friends, no gadgets, no smartphones, good old fashioned socializing. I also had a great family that loved me and supported my decisions and a big brother to play and look up to.
How did you get started with MMA, and what was it that attracted you to it?
Bogdan: First of all, I am a kickboxer, not an MMA fighter. My brother started a martial arts career by practicing Wushu and inspired me. I was a football player before deciding to follow his steps and become a fighter. I even became a Wushu national champion in 2009 and 2010, the same as my brother.
Fun fact, he had a two-year head start in martial arts, and now he has a 2-year head start in ONE Championship.
You have a professional kickboxing record of 52-12, with 37 of those victories coming by way of knockout. That’s a very high finish percentage. What do you attribute to your success and what advantage do you feel you have over your opponents?
Bogdan: There are 3 important things to guarantee success: determination, willpower and a lot of work. When I enter the ring, I like to think I am disadvantaged. This way, I strive to improve myself and give my best when facing my opponent.
As I mentioned before, you have just signed with ONE and joined up with your brother Andrei, who has established himself as a title contender there. Is there a pressure on you now to follow his lead or are you just happy to have the opportunity to showcase your talent?
Bogdan: Actually, I have a talent of not putting pressure on myself, so it’s okay. All I have to do is train and prove what I can do.
What was it about ONE that made you want to sign with them? And although it’s the early days for you, have you set yourself a target to achieve?
Bogdan: Their professionalism and seriousness. ONE Championship is the number one sports property in Asia and is currently the greatest martial arts organization in the world. Like anyone else, I hope to reach the top of my division.
Out of your 52 wins, which do you consider to be your most important victory and why?
Bogdan: Each win was important for me because I worked hard for each and every one of them. But if I have to pick one, I say the fight for the WKU world title with James Phillips, in Germany. He is a great name in world kickboxing and has a great fight record. I fought him in his hometown for the world title and managed to win the fight via KO in round 2.
Make sure to support Bogdan Stoica’s career by following his social media. Links below.
Instagram – b.stoica
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