Bodybuilder William Bonac is currently gearing up for a quick turnaround at the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic, scheduled for March 2-5 in Columbus, Ohio. In a recent interview with IFBB AMA on YouTube, Bonac shared updates on his kidney issues and revealed ambitions for the contest.
William Bonac is a bodybuilding veteran with a proven track record of excellence in several competitions. He’s one of the most consistent and disciplined athletes in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division. He racked up five consecutive top-five placings between 2016 and 2020 at the Mr. Olympia contest, widely regarded as the most prestigious fitness showcase in the world.
‘The Conqueror’ turned heads with his impressive performance at the 2018 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF). He defeated the likes of Dexter Jackson, the late Cedric McMillan, and Roelly Winklaar to take home the top prize.
Bonac came close to winning the coveted Sandow trophy in 2019 but eventually fell short of former Mr. Olympia champion Brandon Curry. While he did not achieve Olympia glory, Bonac became a two-time Arnold Classic champion at the 2020 ASF, where he triumphed over Jackson and former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay.
He narrowly missed out on securing another title at the 2022 ASF as Curry surpassed him on the scorecards. Then, Bonac made his way to the 2022 IFBB Boston Pro and dominated the competition with a decisive victory. This qualified him for the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
Ramy’s coach Chad Nicholls believed Bonac’s freaky compact muscle quality made him a threat to his client’s reign. Bodybuilding legend Phil Heath backed Bonac to push Ramy to his limits with his 3D look. The seven-time Sandow trophy winner praised him for his extraordinary physique.
However, William Bonac missed the mark on stage and dropped down to ninth place in Las Vegas two months ago. Following the result, Bonac talked about possibly being overconfident ahead of the show and expressed concerns about the inflammation in his kidneys. He did not plan to compete at the Arnold Classic earlier but will do so without the use of oral steroids.
Former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout encouraged Bonac to sit out the contest and take care of the issue with his kidneys before getting back to action. Considering Bonac’s potential as a pro, Bannout could see him competing in his 50s if he stayed healthy.
William Bonac talks prep for the 2023 Arnold Classic and what went wrong at the Olympia
In a recent YouTube video, William Bonac talked about his prep for the nearing 2023 Arnold Classic.
“Prep is going very good,” said Bonac. “I had a talk with my coach earlier and he was really surprised with the way that I look around this time with the weight as well. We are doing good.”
Bonac identified a mistimed peak as the cause of his uneventful performance at the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
“A lot was missing on the show day. Maybe if I stepped on stage the Wednesday before it would be different. A lot of people were saying maybe it’s because I flew out too late. That’s not an issue with me. I don’t hold a lot of water through the flight… It’s just we got to know each other. My coach needs to know my body. It’s been a year now working with each other. Everything was going well and then the last week, let’s say we missed our peak.”
Bonac denies kidney issues
‘The Conqueror’ hit back at those exaggerating the damage to his kidneys. He clarified the issue and shared his mindset for longevity.
“There’s nothing wrong with my kidneys. I did my blood work. I was the first to do my blood work and everything was alright to my own surprise actually because I’ve done off-season since last year after the Arnold Classic after my operation. I was in off-season mode, never done it before, and it was all new to me. I grew from 105-kg to 120-kg and everything was good.”
Bonac does not believe he could win an Olympia now and is focused on a third Arnold Classic title instead.
“I talked to Chad because I wanted to do the Arnold Classic and he advised me not to do it and clean yourself out,” continued William Bonac. “Then, when it’s closer to the Olympia, let’s find a show and you can go straight into the Olympia. That was the best idea but this is such a big show. I really want to win my third one because I don’t see if I can ever win the Olympia. With the Arnold, I’ve won it before and know I can do it. That was more my point. The levity of the kidney thing, it’s just inflammation, it’s just a little bit.
“For instance, even if I was just taking creatine, I would still have the same issues. I know 100 percent everyone of us who steps on stage at the Olympia have similar issues but some of them don’t even check it and don’t know. My approach was still can compete, take all the stuff I need. But why would we if we can do it differently. My coach was like listen, if you want to do this, you got to take them out because if we keep doing this, you might get sick.”
“I’m getting older as well,” he continued. “I can’t run with these young guys anymore so I have to play it smart.”
RELATED: William Bonac Shares Full Day of Eating During Contest Prep for 2022 Mr. Olympia
William Bonac sent warning shots to his competition with a peeled physique update showing off his insane back just two weeks out from the 2023 Arnold Classic. Fans will be excited to see a fired-up Bonac return as he targets redemption on stage next month.
You can watch the full video below:
Catch full coverage of the 2023 Arnold Classic, including pre-judging, event recaps, analysis, and final and full results at our Arnold Classic coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/arnold-classic
Published: 24 February, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
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