Filip Hrgovic is brimming with confidence as he gears up for his June 1 showdown against Daniel Dubois in Saudi Arabia. This bout is part of the Matchroom vs. Queensberry tournament, serving as the undercard to Dmitrii Bivol's WBA light-heavyweight title defense against Malik Zinad, following Artur Beterbiev's withdrawal due to injury.
Hrgovic and Dubois share a history of sparring sessions from several years ago, and Hrgovic believes this gives him a psychological edge. Speaking to Queensberry’s YouTube channel, the Croatian boxer stated:
“I think I have a psychological advantage with that sparring session, but the fight is a fight. That was a long time ago. We’ll see what’s going on this Saturday.”
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Despite his past setbacks, Dubois showcased his resilience with a gritty victory over Jarrell Miller last December, silencing critics who questioned his heart after losses to Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk. Hrgovic acknowledged Dubois’s improvement but still labeled him as a quitter:
“He [Dubois] quit two times. It’s not good for a fighter to quit, but I think he’s a solid fighter. He proved in some fights that he’s a good fighter, especially in his last fight.”
“I think he [Dubois] has a problem with receiving punches that he doesn’t like. He doesn’t like to receive punches and be hit. He’s not so good with that. I think I’m the opposite. I proved that I have a really good chin.”
The Croatian boxer also emphasized his own resilience:
"I was never stopped in over 100 amateur fights and never in sparring. I think I have that quality of never giving up, and I think if I put good pressure and if I hit him with my best shots, I will stop him.”
Image Credit: DAZN