Ognjen Topic is a current IKF World, WBC, WKA National and a former Lion Fight Lightweight World Champion in Muay Thai, fighting out of North Jersey Muay Thai. As well as his fighting career, Ognjen is a full-time instructor as well as being a great graphic designer, having designed the current logos for Muay Thai Authority, MuayTies as well as his own fighter branding, which was used to create a range of InFightStyle gear (You can see that gear here).
We spoke to Ognjen to find out a little bit about his favourite gear and training advice.
Hi Ognjen, before we get started, do you want to give us a quick summary about yourself?
I’m a 3x world champion pro fighter fighting out of njmuaythai.
So to start off with, what would you say stands out most as your favourite piece of fight gear?
All the necessary equipment. Thai pads, gloves and maybe a belly pad.
How long have you been using those, or other products from the same brand?
Since the beginning of my Muay Thai career.
What was the reason behind you getting those particular items in the first place?
They’re the most basic necessities for Muay Thai training. Hitting Thai pads develops a fighters power.
What would you say are the stand-out features of the ones you use and what makes them better than other brands?
The quality of the Velcro strap, it never wears out. The fitting of the gear and the leather quality. InFightStyle creates very high quality gear. I need gear that will last me a while and InFightStyle does just that.
With your fight gear, do you tend to stick to a few select brands, or do you like to mix it up with a nice variety?
I stay with one brand which is InFightStyle. They have perfected all of the aspects of the training gear so there is no need to try other equipment.
Is there any other gear you just love to use when training?
No, I keep my training as simple as possible so I don’t need much gear besides the necessary ones.
How much of your training is dedicated to martial arts/technique training and how much is dedicated to other aspects such as cardio, strength and conditioning?
I’d say it’s equal. I concentrate on both technique and conditioning training.
What are your thoughts on sparring – Should you go in hard and heavy, or keep it light and technical?
Mainly light and technical but every once in a while it is necessary to go hard so the fighter gets a taste of how a realistic fight would be.
What pushes you to do your best during training?
To be among the best.
And finally what’s your best training tip for aspiring fighters out there?
Technical training and developing a sharp eye for defensive purposes. Conditioning is also equally important though.
If you liked this, you can keep an eye on Ognjen through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.