Filip Hrgovic is next in line to face the unified heavyweight champion of the world and he claims ‘I’m the man who will beat [Oleksandr] Usyk.’
6’6″ Croatian Hrgovic is coming off the back of solid if not spectacular wins in the last couple of years including a 12th round knockout of previously unbeaten Aussie contender Dempsey McKean on the undercard of Anthony Joshua-Robert Helenius, and a close 12 round points win over Zhilei Zhang back in August 2022.
After Usyk came through against Daniel Dubois, Hrgovic is now the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s IBF heavyweight title and, speaking to Boxing News, Hrgovic was asked how he sees the fight going.
“I’m a big guy, stronger than him, but I also can throw a lot of punches. I’m not stiff like Daniel Dubois or Anthony Joshua.”
He then laid out something of a game plan as to how he thinks he’d beat the Ukrainian.
“I can go to the body. I can push him, make him go backward, and I can receive a punch. I have a good chin, he can’t knock me out.
So I’m the guy to beat Usyk, not Fury, but Filip Hrgovic, so hopefully he wins this Saturday and I get my much-deserved shot next because I will be mandatory and we are next in the line.”
He then reiterated his belief that the fight will happen next as well as sharing thoughts on Fury.
“I should fight Usyk next because there is no unification fight. Fury has scheduled his fight in October. I’m not sure he wants to fight [Usyk] anymore, he’s very strange. I’m the man who should get the shot next.”
Usyk has made it clear he wants Fury next, but if the fight can’t get made it seems Hrgovic will get his shot at heavyweight gold.