Nightmare replacement: Filip Hrgovic steps for injured whyte, ready to face Joe Joyce in Manchester Clash

The Filip Hrgovic’s heavyweight candidate (17-1, 14 ko) will enter as a replacement opponent Joe Joyce (16-3, 15 KO) who fought on April 5 at the CO-OP Live Arena in Manchester, England.

The 2016 Olympic Bronze Medal. Hrgovic comes out with a knockout loss in the eighth round of Daniel Dubois 1 June in Riyadh. Hrgovic landed some huge right bombs in the first five rounds of that fight, but Dubois went through them and wore it with his hard shootings.

Night sea match

Joyce’s best chance to win April 5 is if Hrgovic’s blow resistance hit his loss in Dubois. If so, he has a chance. I don’t see that this is happening. Poor Joe. This is a night Navy for Joyce because Hrgovic is a league above him in a talent at this stage of his career. Joe lost three of his last four fights and was defeated by a 40-year-old Derek Chisora Up to 10 rounds of unanimous decision in its previous struggle on July 27, 2024.

Chisora ​​lowered Joyce in the seventh round and landed shots at will. That fight showed how much Joyce lost to her game of her two knockout loss from Zhilei Zhang. Hrgovic would wipe the deck with a slow punching bag like Chisora. That would be too simple. Of course, Derek would never fight him, because, unlike Joyce and Otto Waldin, Hrgovic is still fighting at a high level and can hit.

Hrgovic, 32, is a SUB that will replace the injured Dillian Whyte, who pulled himself out of the competition with a manual illness. It is unclear if Dillian received a medical note to check the injury and whether the X -rays were shown.

Amateur past

Joyce defeated Hrgovic by a divided decision in five rounds on February 7, 2013, in the World Boxing series, many years ago in amateurs. Much has changed since then. Joyce “Juggernaut” is much older – 39 – visually impaired and worn from a fighter who beat Hrgovic 12 years ago.

Hrgovic okay to face Joyce on April 5.@Filip_hrgovic allegedly ready to replace Dillian Whyte and face @Yoyoyceboxing April 5 in Manchester.

Joyce defeated Hrgovic in amateurs in 2013.

Do you want to see that fight? 🤔#Jicehrgovic |… pic.twitter.com/9mmdga67hl

– IFL TV (@ifltv) March 5, 2025