Filip Hrgovic weighed in at 247.4 lbs, and Daniel Dubois scaled in at 245.8 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in for the battle this Saturday night for the IBF interim heavyweight title in Riyadh.
Dubois’ Strategy and Concerns
Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs) is six lbs heavier than the 239 lbs he weighed for his previous fight against Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller last December. The 245.8 lbs is the heaviest of Dubois’ seven-year professional career, but he looks in great shape and not bulky.
Dubois likely felt that he needed to be heavier for this fight against the 6’5″ Hrgovic, but this might come down to chin and conditioning more than size. The referee will also be important in controlling some of the rabbit punches that Hrgovic tends to throw.
Weights:
Filip Hrgovic – 247.4 lbs
Daniel Dubois 245.8 lbs
The winner of this fight could be elevated to full IBF heavyweight champion before December. Promoter Eddie Hearn wants the IBF title stripped from Oleksandr Usyk and made available for Anthony Joshua’s next fight against the winner of Saturday’s Hrgovic vs. Dubois clash.
Hrgovic’s Challenges
The 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Hrgovic is the favorite to defeat the 26-year-old Dubois, but with the kind of power that ‘DDD’ possesses, you just don’t know. If he lands the kinds of shots as he did in his victory over ‘Big Baby,’ he could KO Hrgovic.
The one thing that Hrgovic has going against him in this fight is that he’s not been active with his career as he should, and that makes it difficult to pick a sure-thing winner.
Another [problem that Hrgovic has is his experience in the pro ranks. He’s fought largely weak opposition, and he’s coming into the fight with a lot of unknowns. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, believes in him, but that’s not going to help him when he starts getting hit by the younger, faster, and more powerful Dubois.
⚖️ WEIGH-IN & FACE OFF 👀
DDD vs El Animal
👑 IBF Interim World Heavyweight Title#DuboisHrgovic #5vs5 #QueensberryVsMatchroom #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/cveOyWodsD
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) May 31, 2024
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