Talk about a monumental win. That’s just what happened this past weekend at the prestigious Flex Pro Italy where Edward Kargbo edged out legendary bodybuilder William “The Conqueror” Bonac. I think it’s very important to note that William had competed in his third consecutive show and that it would have been very difficult for him to win every single time – but he almost did! That being said William brought a tremendous package to the stage and we’ll talk more about him later in this article. We’ll also talk about Jordan Hutchinson, who finished in third place and looked very impressive as well. But we really need to focus on Edward here because of the fact that he brought such a phenomenal package to the stage.
News of the win quickly made the rounds throughout the interwebs including amongst the fans in Sierra Leone where Edward hails from. This is a major achievement in one of the most respected stages in the world. The European bodybuilding community has always been one that has been all about bodybuilding. Unlike here in the United States where it’s very much still a niche sport, in countries like Italy, fans lose their mind over bodybuilding. It’s not uncommon for bodybuilders to get stopped on the street for photographs, selfies, and just a good ole high five. The fact of the matter is that Edward brought his very best. He battled on stage and once he was put in the center they never moved him from there again. Oddly enough, William would be in the center but would get moved a couple of times. This is interesting because William is such a great bodybuilder and looked so good, but we have to give Edward his flowers.
One of the things that I really liked about Edward’s physique is the fact that it was very bubbly. He looked very full and complete, but hard. I didn’t really see any lagging bodyparts which really says a lot because of the fact that we’re talking about a competitor who I’m not all that familiar with. I of course did my due diligence in writing this article as I do for all other articles but I have to be totally honest in that I’m not super familiar with Edward as a top-tier body builder. I have seen his name on many of the score cards and I know that he is a consummate professional and by no means new to the stage but I think that this may very well be his first Olympia and if I am mistaken I look forward to being corrected. How his physique will do at the Olympia is anyone’s guess.
Right now I think there is so much talent going into the Super Bowl of Bodybuilding that I honestly don’t know where these folks will land at the end of the contest. Do I think that Edward will be in the top six? No. Do I think Edward will be in the top 10? Probably not. That being said he can bring a great look to the stage and make a name for himself as long as he places. And that may be what happens in Vegas. Then again he might surprise me and a lot of other people and place a lot higher. That’s the nature of the beast when you’re dealing with professional bodybuilding.
One of the things that I really liked about Edward’s physique was his upper torso. His back and chest were very impressive to say the least. I think that for a lot of the back poses, as well as the most muscular, he really was holding his own.
I think William really gave him a run for his money and had a very real claim to 1st. I think that William really brought his best for the last couple of shows and since he is already qualified for the Olympia he may be letting off the gas ever so slightly. I also happen to know that he will not be competing in Portugal which might open a spot for Behrooz. I know that Bonac has encouraged him to compete publicly on his comments on Instagram. And that is saying a lot because William Bonac is not the type of individual to bullshit the next man. I think that he, as well as many other competitors, would love nothing more than to see Behrooz at the 2026 Olympia stage.
With regard to Jordan Hutchinson I think that he should have come in a little bit tighter and if he had done that especially in the wheels he may have been as high as second. It’s going to be a tough time for him or anyone to beat William Bonac, but that’s how good Jordan was. He’s showing a lot of potential and I think with time he gets better and better.
All of these guys, all of them in the top three are what I would consider to be hardcore bodybuilders and blue collar type athletes. Camaraderie is huge and drama is virtually non-existent. This is the kind of bodybuilding show that we should all want to see. Where competitors don’t take things personally, rather, they work hard to earn the accolades of the judges and the fans. What makes me happy is that both William and Edward are now going to the Olympia. Now with regard to Jordan, there is still time but I would really like to see either him or Behrooz take advantage of the Portugal Pro and earn that qualification to the biggest and most respected show in professional bodybuilding
I think the 2026 Olympia is really going to be one for the record books. We have a lot of guys that are making noise yet are not regulars on that stage. I have even heard it say that 2026 will represent a true changing of the guard. Only time will tell but I can tell you that a guy like Edward is going to go in there firing on all cylinders. I don’t know if he has any more shows left for the year but I would imagine that the smart money for him would be to hunker down and give his body the best shot at really reaping the benefits of rest and smart prep for the O. I don’t even know what the prize money in Italy was but the real prize is that Olympia qualification. So it stands to reason that the next move for Edward and for anybody that qualifies is to bring their best at the Olympia. And then after that – who knows.
What do you think Edward will do next?
As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article, here, at IronMag. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Do you think Edward will make some noise at the 2026 Olympia? I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate lively conversation.
Author Bio:
Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.
