Heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic predicts a knockout victory over Daniel Dubois in their fight this Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The winner of the Hrgovic vs. Dubois fight will be the IBF mandatory and can fight for a world title in 2025. If he wins, Hrgovic could fight Anthony Joshua. Hearn has been banging on about a fight between Hrgovic, but the Croatian fighter must be victorious against Dubois for that to happen.
Hrgovic’s Confidence and Dubois’ Resurgence
Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs) believes a victory is in the bag against the twice-beaten 26-year-old Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs), who is coming off an impressive career-best tenth-round knockout win over Jarrell Miller last December.
Dubois has a real shot at winning if he lets his hands go and doesn’t get nailed by any shots behind the head. He’s got to attack Hrgovic full-on from the outset if he wants to win because if the fight goes past four rounds, he’ll likely get clipped by one of his rabbit punches.
If the referee can keep Hrgovic’s rabbit punching in check, warning, and penalizing, Dubois can win this fight.
Hearn had hoped the IBF title would be stripped from undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and made available for Saturday’s Hrgovic vs. Dubois fight, but that doesn’t look likely.
Hrgovic, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, looked average in his fight against Demsey McKean and was staggered a couple of times in that match in August 2023. If not for the punches to the back of the head that Hrgovic landed in the tenth, he might have lost.
Contrasting Predictions
“You’ll see the real Filip Hrgovic. It’s time for him to face an elite heavyweight, and you’ll see the very best of him on June 1st,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to TNT Sports Boxing, singing the praises of his Matchroom fighter, Hrgovic ahead of his fight this Saturday night against Daniel Dubois in Riyadh.
“I see Daniel winning by stoppage. We’re seeing a reborn heavyweight here,” said promoter Frank Warren, predicting a knockout win for Dubois over Hrgovic.
Filip Hrgovic: “I think I’ll win by decision or knockout. I hope by knockout, but I will win.
Daniel Dubois: “I’m ready to go. I’m going to put him to sleep by any means necessary.”
Hrgovic: “You’re putting me to sleep? How?”
Dubois: “Don’t worry how. By any means necessary.”
Hrgovic: “You’re not going to put me to sleep, man. You’re getting smashed.”
Dubois: “You’re getting smashed. You’re going down.”
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