The heavyweight division has had no shortage of storylines in the past few years and this fight is only set to add to the saga.
Joe Joyce vs. Filip Hrgovic is somewhat of a winner takes all bout, in that the loser may well have nothing left to offer at the top table of heavyweight boxing. Both are seeking to spark a revival and neither want the flame to go out.
We can expect nothing to be left in the ring after 12 rounds, should this fight go the distance. We take a detailed look at both fighters’ chances below.
Joe Joyce 13/5
You only have to go back a few years to find a time where Joe Joyce was one of the most feared fighters in the heavyweight division, having his name banded around with the likes of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
A knockout defeat of Joseph Parker back in 2022 was the pinnacle of his achievements and saw him win the vacant WBO interim heavyweight title. He would then put that on the line, and expect to defend it, against Zhilei Zhang. Zhang was no mug, however, and went on to win by TKO is the sixth round, then following up by knocking Joyce out in their rematch five months later.
A seamless victory over Kash Ali followed for Joyce, before another shock defeat to veteran Derek Chisora in July last year. It’s fair to say that Joyce’s reputation has taken a serious dent since 2022 and he’ll be looking to repair it here. Approaching 40 years of age, it really does seem like a case of now or never for the 13/5 underdogs, who’ll be hoping to cause a shock similar to those inflicted on him in recent fights.
Filip Hrgovic 2/7
Croatian heavyweight Filip Hrgovic went overlooked for a large part of his career as he recorded victories over the likes of Zhilei Zhang, Demsey McKean and Mark de Mori. These three last victories brought him to the fore and saw him get a chance at the vacant IBF interim heavyweight title, which he’d ultimately lose out on at the hands of Daniel Dubois.
With his unbeaten streak ended, it has been almost a year since Hrgovic stepped foot in the ring and it seems as though this may be his last chance to put his name in the hat as one of the top heavyweights. Back-to-back losses would be a hard blow to recover from, but the 32-year-old will head to Manchester full of confidence as the 7/2 favourite.
The Verdict
So, how will the fight that could make or break either of their careers’ play out? Hrgovic brings a lot of speed, agility and movement, while Joyce is your classic hard-hitting heavyweight.
The Londoner will likely be looking to land one or two heavy blows to end the fight before the final bell, but Hrgovic is harder to land on than most. We can see the Croation utilising fleets of fast combinations and unloading his scarily quick right hand to good effect. The odds speak for themselves and this looks to be Hrgovic’s contest to lose.
