Once-beaten heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic, now trained by Abel Sanchez, could fight one of two Frank Warren-promoted fighters next – either Dillian Whyte or Moses Itauma. As per a news story from The Ring, Warren and Queensbury have an option of Hrgovic’s existing deal, and Warren said he may look at putting Hrgovic in with either red-hot undefeated prospect Itauma, or veteran slugger Whyte.
Hrgovic pounded out a 10 round unanimous decision over a still-game but past his best Joe Joyce at the weekend, the win seeing the Croatian bounce back from his bloody stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois (who of course Joyce holds a stoppage win over, go figure!).
And though Hrgovic called for a “revenge” fight with Dubois, it seems more likely he will be put in with either Whyte (who was originally set to fight Joyce in Saturday, before he suffered a nasty hand injury in training camp) or Itauma.
Hrgovic, who Sanchez said will likely be back in action come September, has plenty of experience, and he could give Itauma the big test the exciting and gifted 20 year old needs. Hrgovic would very possibly stop Whyte, at least in my opinion; Whyte not having looked good in a long time.
At age 32, Hrgovic still has time on his side, and though he didn’t exactly look great against a slow and ponderous, yet also tough and durable foe in Joyce, “El Animal” could be around for some time to come.
Who wins and how if Hrgovic, 18-1(14) does fight Itauma next, or Whyte?
As for Joyce, 16-4(15), he has officially stated that he will not be retiring any time soon. “Everyone gets behind a statement, like, ‘oh, his chin’ or I’ve got CTE, all this crap,” Joyce told The Stomping Ground. “I’ve still got my wits about me, I still enjoy myself and there’s plenty of good fights out there.”
So Joyce is determined to carry on fighting, and as such we will wait and see if Warren, who has said Joyce should hang up the gloves, will continue to promote him. As to who Joyce will be matched with next, well, who knows? Joyce as we know, has won just one of his last five fights