Bogdan Cristian Stoica (born January 28, 1990) is a Romanian professional kickboxer and boxer, and former wushu practitioner. Stoica is also one-time SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight Champion, one-time Enfusion Light Heavyweight and two-time wushu national champion. He was also ranked as a top-10 middleweight in the world for several years by LiverKick.com, CombatPress.com and GloryKickboxing.com.[3][4] He has competed for GLORY, ONE Championship, SUPERKOMBAT Fighting Championship, Enfusion, Wu Lin Feng and Glory of Heroes.
As of 16 January 2019, Stoica was ranked the #1 light-heavyweight in the world by Enfusion Live.[5] As of August 21, 2024, he is #7 in the GLORY light-heavyweight rankings.[6]
Bogdan is known to wear shorts with extra slits on his shorts for better movement. He is also known for his flying kicks, knee attacks and axe-kick, a kick that is characterized by a straightened leg descending onto an opponent like the blade of an axe.
He has been training in Bucharest, Romania for his entire career. Stoica first went to Respect Gym, which was run by Alin Panaite, where he trained with fellow kickboxers Andrei Stoica, Benjamin Adegbuyi, Claudiu Bădoi, Ciprian Șchiopu and Florin Lupu.[8]
In 2018, he opened his own gym (Stoica Brothers Fight Academy), and since then he has been training there also under the guidance of the boxing coach Andrei Mircea.[9]
Kickboxing career
Early career
Bogdan Stoica made his SUPERKOMBAT debut against the brother of Dževad Poturak, Dženan, with a knockout in an event which took place in Sibiu, Romania. In February 2011, he scored smashing first-round knockout over 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.[10]
Intercontinental champion
On May 21, Stoica won the WAKO-PRO Intercontinental -88.6 kg Championship (K-1 rules). He landed a right knee to the head of Pacôme Assi in the third. The Frenchman took a standing eight count and the bout was summarily called off by the referee.[11][12]
Fastest knockout in the Local Kombat
At "Bodyguardul - Forţele Speciale", he won the fight via quick knockout, the referee pulling Stoica away from Đurđević at around the 8 second mark.[13]
World champion
He won the vacant SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight Championship by defeating WBC Muay Thai champion Ivan Stanić. Stoica looked outstanding, dropping Stanić 3 times en route to winning the belt and landing some beautiful flying knees. The Romanian even flew over the top rope and out of the ring with a flying knee attempt. Stanić showed heart by coming forward the whole time but Stoica closed his eye and took over, winning a unanimous decision in completely overwhelming fashion.[14]
Motorcycle injury
On July 18, 2012, Stoica was struck by a car coming out from the side. He tried to avoid contact by veering sharply away from the car and ended up slamming into the asphalt. The accident caused him a severe back injury. After a week or so, Stoica was out of the hospital. His full recovery could take up to six months.[15] He resumed training in November 2012.[16]
Return
He was set to make K-1 debut on his return to the ring in 2013.[17] He instead made a successful comeback by knocking out Romano Romasco in round two at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix I 2013 in Oradea, Romania on April 6.[18][19]
Stoica will beat Iranian veteran and gold medalist at World Martial Arts Festival, Eisa Ramezani, by unanimous decision at SUPERKOMBAT New Heroes 4 in Dubai, UAE on May 31, 2013.[20][21][22]
He defeated Marsan Yohan via TKO due to a cut in just 25 seconds at SUPERKOMBAT New Heroes 5 in Târgoviște, Romania on August 30, 2013.[23][24]
He KOed Amir Zeyada in round one at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix IV 2013 in Giurgiu, Romania on October 12.[25][26][27]
He lost the SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight Championship against Igor Bugaenko when he lost by unanimous decision at the SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix 2013 Final in Galați, Romania on December 21.[28]
On October 25, 2014, he made his return to the SUPERKOMBAT. For this match, Stoica faced Aristote Quitusisa at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix 2014 Final Elimination in the season five quarter-finals match up. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[35]
Back on track
Respect Gym's Bogdan Stoica met Alexandru Negrea in a reserve match for the Light Heavyweight Tournament on November 22, 2014 at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix 2014 Final. Stoica won the fight via KO in the third round.[36]
Stoica next faced Zinedine Hameur-Lain on March 7, 2015 at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix I 2015. He won the match against Hameur-Lain in the first-round via KO.[37]
He faced İbrahim Giydirir on 23 May 2015 at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix II 2015. Stoica dominated his opponent, winning via unanimous decision.[38]
Stoica stopped Horace Martin in second round on June 13, 2015 at SUPERKOMBAT Special Edition.[39]
On August 1, 2015, at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix IV 2015 Stoica and Fabio Kwasi were involved in a battle that was very close and ended in a split decision in favor of Bogdan Stoica.[40]
In a fight of SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix 2015 Final Elimination at Gran Teatro Linear4Ciak, he won his sixth straight fight with a unanimous decision over Patrick Veenstra.[41]
Another injury
On October 18, 2015, Bogdan Stoica lost to Ibrahim El Bouni after being forced to withdraw due to knee injury at WFL "Unfinished Business" in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. The knee injury is expected to keep him out of action for about six weeks.[42]
Stoica missed the entire 2019 due to injury. He also required hand surgery.
ONE Championship
In May 2020, he signed a contract with ONE Championship.[44] After over two years away from the sport, Stoica was scheduled to fight the two-time ISKA Germany Champion Rinor Latifaj at Dynamite Fighting Show 10.[45] Stoica won the fight by unanimous decision.[46]
Stoica was scheduled to face John Granville at OSS Fighters 06 on July 16, 2021.[47] He won the fight by a second-round technical knockout.[48]
