No rumor for fight from Filip Hrgovic ?

[Ruthless-RKO]

[candyslim]

The IBF must think that the opportunity to become their mandatory challenger might be more attractive than the opportunity to become WBO champion (after a short period as interim champ).

They clearly don't suffer collective self-esteem issues

[morm]

nothing yet ??? Parker, Yoka, Joyce ???

they all hid in the basement ?

[candyslim]

Parker had recent surgery I believe so I'd give him a pass. Joyce wants to fight Usyk, it's Usyk who has been avoiding Joyce. That's not because he's scared or anything, but he was made WBO Interim Champion so he is waiting to see whether he fights Joshua or if Joshua chooses to vacate?

Joyce is in limbo because he was going to be fighting Usyk until Fury chose (yes, chose) to fight Wilder instead of Joshua. If Joshua vacates then Joyce v Usyk is back on. I imagine Joyce would prefer Usyk over Hrgovic as a chance to revenge his previous defeat. Also Usyk was shown to be mortal by Chisora so Joyce may feel Usyk is the easier opponent as well as being the more prestigious scalp. Nothing to reproach him for there.

No way is Joyce hiding in the basement. There are several there keeping Yoka company but Joyce is not among them. Strange you didn't mention Hunter who led the way down the stairs holding the lantern.

[Enlightened-One]

Filip Hrgovic will be at least 29½ years of age, with more than four years’ experience in the pro ranks, by the time of his next outing.

However, he’s only fought twelve times and assuming he isn’t fighting again until September, then he would have competed twice over a 22-month period.

The calibre of his opposition has also been rather disgraceful, in the context of the hype that’s been bestowed upon him.

At this point in time, Filip Hrgovic hasn’t got a fight lined-up.

And it appears that the Croatian’s own team won’t back him financially by investing in his participation in meaningful bouts against decent opposition.

Michael Hunter didn’t take the Hrgovic fight, because Matchroom’s winning purse bid meant he’d receive a garbage payday, so the American decided to face easier opposition for similar sums.

And that’s going to continue happening until Filip Hrgovic’s handlers do something about it, by investing in their man.

They can’t keep submitting lowball offers and then subsequently proclaiming “duck” whenever they’re rejected.

This time-wasting marketing gimmick tactic doesn’t fool anyone! Filip Hrgovic isn't the heavyweight divisions' new “bogeyman” – instead he's being mis-managed and badly promoted!

At this point in time, I’ll consider Filip Hrgovic as being a completely irrelevant name on the heavyweight scene until he engages in a meaningful bout – he doesn’t require any more tune-up’s or stay-busy mismatches!

[morm]

Rumor says September, with Demsey McKean
IBF eliminator

it is ok for me, after the punk Hunter

[gregregegg]

Rumor says September, with Demsey McKean
IBF eliminator

it is ok for me, after the punk Hunter

Had a feeling this would happen. Dempsey can’t turn that down. Hope Dempsey wins the purse bid and drags hrgovic to aus and outs him through a 2 week quarenteen.

Ps if that happens and hrgovic says no what happens then?

[Freakzilla]

Rumor says September, with Demsey McKean
IBF eliminator

it is ok for me, after the punk Hunter

Sensible thing would be to put it on the AJ - Usyk undercard. Ready made replacement on hand if Usyk gets injured

[world ranked]

If no one in IBF rankings wants to fight what can he do.

[Enlightened-One]

Rumor says September, with Demsey McKean

Hrgovic and McKean has fought no one.

And how on earth has McKean gained an opportunity to engage nin an eliminator being rated 11th?

Another mismatch bout for Hrgovic.

[candyslim]

Process of elimination I expect. Hunter declined so they ask the next guy and the next. A fight against Hrgovic isn't going to be lucrative and it's going to be one where you stand a good chance of losing, it's pretty much nailed on if you're McKean. Maybe he thinks he has to make his move now before Huni gets to take his '0'?

I thought Bakole would be the one to accept the challenge. Presumably he would have been given the opportunity before they got down as far as McKean?

[morm]

Hrgovic give us a date and country

America on 28.08. opponent not yet... all open, maybe a stay buzzy fight or a ibf eliminator fight if there a boxer ???

Love to see Otto Walin vs Hrgovic, list McKean

[maverick23]

Hrgovic give us a date and country

America on 28.08. opponent not yet... all open, maybe a stay buzzy fight or a ibf eliminator fight if there a boxer ???

Love to see Otto Walin vs Hrgovic, list McKean

This will be the same card as Dillian Whyte. Hopefully they’re both in good fights. There’s been talk of Franklin/Arreola for Whyte - if they can’t get a proper eliminator for Hrgovic then I think either Franklin or Arreola would be good fights for him.

[candyslim]

I know the risk/reward ratio makes Hrgovic an unattractive proposition, but it's pretty shameful that nobody in the top 10 or more, has sufficient self-belief to fight him for a guaranteed shot at Joshua (or even at whomever holds all the belts) although that will be some way off.

To me it shows there is too much money in the sport when you have contender level fighters, and those on the fringes, who are content to go their whole career fighting guys who are not good enough to offer a serious challenge to them, and if a title opportunity should present itself, then they can take their lumps and their big bag of cash and then resume their chosen profession as a destroyer of hapless chumps. Yes Ortiz, yes Pulev, i'm looking at you and you are by no means the only offenders in the heavyweight division.

The IBF should make Hrgovic their mandatory challenger by default, and all those other heroic heavyweights can come out from under their rocks.

[gregregegg]

Hughie fury was recently added to IBF top 15. Hope he takes it, thinks he wins it honestly.

[candyslim]

Makes sense. What's another defeat to a top quality fighter if you're Hughie? It's not like he'd be risking his unbeaten record.

And in the event he did upset the odds then he's the IBF mandatory challenger with the feather in his cap that proclaims him as the only ranked fighter with the balls to tackle the beast that scared off all the others.

[Enlightened-One]

Makes sense. What's another defeat to a top quality fighter if you're Hughie? It's not like he'd be risking his unbeaten record.

And in the event he did upset the odds then he's the IBF mandatory challenger with the feather in his cap that proclaims him as the only ranked fighter with the balls to tackle the beast that scared off all the others.

Hughie Fury is exceptionally durable. He's also packed on some weight (naturally through the aging process) and he has also gained his man-strength. So he's a much bigger and stronger man nowadays, in comparison to a few years ago. He’s at least as big as Hrgovic.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Brit hits as hard as the Croation, because he probably doesn’t, but we shouldn’t ignore the fact that Hrgovic is still untested in the pro ranks and has an unimpressive knockout ratio in the amateurs.

The Brit has fought vastly superior fighters in the pro ranks than Hrgovic and also has much more experience.

In my mind Hrgovic hasn't done anything to earn the hype he's receiving. There's a strong likelihood that he’s not the indestructible invincible behemoth that others proclaim him to be.

Therefore, any fight between Hrgovic and Fury would be a pick ‘em sort of bout.

Even though the Croatian would very likely be installed as a massive betting favourite (mainly due to hype), I’d probably choose to go against the grain by favouring the underdog Brit to defy the odds to earn a decision victory.

I really can’t help thinking that Hrgovic has been treading water, by continuously engaging in mismatches against journeymen, because there’s no discernible upward trajectory in terms of the calibre of opponents he’s been facing during the last four years.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Stand by your man EO

[candyslim]

Hughie has had a few chances to impress but he hasn't yet grasped the nettle.

I've always maintained that he is very young and immature even for his age, yet he has acquired a lot of experience, and that when he finally does mature and get his man-strength he's going to be tough to beat.

I am beginning to wonder though if he has or will ever have the mental strength necessary to become a force in the division. Actually I'm not really beginning to, I have been thinking that way for quite a while now.

I still think he can mix it with the big boys and he can have a decent career on the fringes of contention. I hope I'm underestimating him.

[Enlightened-One]

These two sentences confuse me…

To me it shows there is too much money in the sport when you have contender level fighters, and those on the fringes, who are content to go their whole career fighting guys who are not good enough to offer a serious challenge to them...

So you’re saying that you disapprove of fighters, like Filip Hrgović, spending their entire careers engaging in mismatches whilst waiting to be offered a world title shot…

The IBF should make Hrgovic their mandatory challenger by default, and all those other heroic heavyweights can come out from under their rocks.

But then you want to reward fighters, like Filip Hrgović, by bestowing them with mandatory challenger status, despite the fact they’ve spent their entire careers engaging in mismatches?

[Enlightened-One]

Hughie has had a few chances to impress but he hasn't yet grasped the nettle.

I've always maintained that he is very young and immature even for his age, yet he has acquired a lot of experience, and that when he finally does mature and get his man-strength he's going to be tough to beat.

I am beginning to wonder though if he has or will ever have the mental strength necessary to become a force in the division. Actually I'm not really beginning to, I have been thinking that way for quite a while now.

I still think he can mix it with the big boys and he can have a decent career on the fringes of contention. I hope I'm underestimating him.

I kind of agree with you.

People forget that when Hughie Fury was only 24 years of age, he’d already challenged for the WBO world heavyweight title and engaged in highly competitive bouts against the likes of Alexander Povetkin, Kubrat Pulev and Joseph Parker (two world champions and one two-time title challenger).

All three of these guys were very recently considered top-ten world-rated heavyweights by The RING & ESPN at the same time.

In stark contrast, Filip Hrgovic made his pro debut when he was 25½ years of age and hasn't achieved anything noteworthy ever since (within the last four years).

In my mind, it’s entirely feasible that Hughie Fury is still improving, as well as getting heavier/stronger, because he’s only 26 years of age.

For sure, Hughie Fury doesn’t currently look like a world-beater, and he might never become one, but people have to give the man some credit, because he’s already achieved far more in the pro ranks than many of his fellow heavyweight prospects.

[candyslim]

Surely EO nothing illustrates the difficulties faced by Filip Hrgovic in getting meaningful fights than the current debacle over the IBF mandatory nomination.

He has looked sloppy in some recent outings - you don't need to bring your 'A' game for the likes of Molina. He can box when he wants to. He carries power and seems very robust. He was a top amateur and WSB fighter, I don't believe his quality has deserted him. He brings enormous risk but he doesn't bring much money which is an extremely unattractive combination for any potential opponent who is of sufficient quality to be concerned about the health of his resumé..

You have witnessed the reluctance of top 15 heavyweights to face him for a guaranteed title shot. How easy then to enlist a quality opponent when you can't even offer him an enhanced payday?

[candyslim]

Regarding Hughie I always said that if you were to literally score according to the principles of boxing 'the art of hitting without getting hit' then he beat Joe Parker. I was very glad he didn't get the decision because he refused to engage and his winning would have led to outrage about hometown decisions. While awaiting the verdict Parker's face clearly showed he was not expecting to walk away with his belt.

I really thought he was going to outspeed and outwork Kubrat Pulev and I was disappointed how badly he let that cut affect him. Contrast that with his cousin in the Wallin fight - mental strength greatly required.

By the time he faced Povetkin I wasn't really expecting very much. I haven't given up hope entirely but I am becoming resigned to the fact he will be a long term fixture in or around the top 10 at best/ 20 at worst, but that he doesn't have fire in his belly and he won't truly impact the division.

[margaret thatcher]

Regarding Hughie I always said that if you were to literally score according to the principles of boxing 'the art of hitting without getting hit' then he beat Joe Parker. I was very glad he didn't get the decision because he refused to engage and his winning would have led to outrage about hometown decisions. While awaiting the verdict Parker's face clearly showed he was not expecting to walk away with his belt.

I really thought he was going to outspeed and outwork Kubrat Pulev and I was disappointed how badly he let that cut affect him. Contrast that with his cousin in the Wallin fight - mental strength greatly required.

By the time he faced Povetkin I wasn't really expecting very much. I haven't given up hope entirely but I am becoming resigned to the fact he will be a long term fixture in or around the top 10 at best/ 20 at worst, but that he doesn't have fire in his belly and he won't truly impact the division.

hughie was doing very little hitting himself vs joe, that was the problem and why the decision was defendable. you had parker hardly landing, and hughie hardly landing. parker was throwin but plain old missing, and hughie was plain old not throwing anything worth a damn at all

hughie has the mindset of a uk domestic circuit journeyman. vs good opposition he's simply way too concerned about not getting hit , it basically shuts him down offensively and what he does throw is often hesistant flicky/slappy shots from too far out to land

hughie has to committ more offensively or the same thing will keep repeating when he steps up. people blather on about how yyoung he is, but has shown 0 improvement vs the good opposition he's faced

[margaret thatcher]

the hughie age talk is getting a bit hollow for me, he's going on 27 and fought 3 good opponents, and he's shown the same flaws each time, with his best performance being vs the first one vs parker and the other 2 getting worse. where was the improvement as he got older and more experienced?

some fighters just never have it mentally to break through to the next level, he just doesnt seem able to commit vs dangerous opposition. this isnt something that magically goes away when youre 29 instead of 25

joe parker was 24 (younger than hughie is) when he beat andy ruiz for the wbo, i dont think he's gotten any better either. age and improvement doesnt follow a perfect order