Mirza Hopovac with his championship belt | Mik Horvath / MBC
On Friday, March 27, head coach of Renfrew Muay Thai (RMT), Kru Mirza Hopovac, stepped into the ring at Unified MMA 68 to battle for the Light Heavyweight championship belt.
Hopovac would be sizing up with former champion and Alberta-based Jake Craig; the venue was at the River Cree Resort & Casino in Edmonton.
Though the fight was slated for an Albertan afternoon, the battle began months before with intensive training and a weight cut.
Hopovac needed to cut down from around 250 pounds to 205 pounds to compete in the Light Heavyweight class.
He had never faced Craig before, the previously undefeated champion of this class.
The weight loss made Hopovac’s kicks and punches fly, the unburdened Bosnian-Canadian knocked out the former title-holder in 43 seconds.
The win slots Hopovac into the championship seat for a full year and during that time a challenger may want to face his undefeated record.
Regardless, Hopovac showed Canada that great talent can be developed right here in the Ottawa Valley.
Bringing this win and the championship belt into Renfrew is a big accomplishment for Hopovac, his gym and his crew.
Despite sometimes being called the “Bosnian Bomber,” Hopovac is just as proud to be representing the Canadian flag | Mik Horvath / MBC
It also sets an example for the students who take part in training courses at RMT.
Now Hopovac has a full-year to defend his title, but he hasn’t heard much about incoming challengers.
When myFM was invited to RMT, Hopovac, a huge soccer fan, was watching Bosnia and Herzegovina face Italy in the world cup qualifiers.
With two big Bosnian wins, Hopovac said he was having one of the best weeks of his life.
RMT is also already working on Victory in the Valley IV, which is set for September this year.
(Written by Mik Horvath)
