Filip Hrgovic, the undefeated Croatian heavyweight, looks confidently towards his upcoming bout against Demsey McKean, the Australian southpaw. Even though Hrgovic acknowledges the unpredictable nature of boxing, he expressed doubt about McKean’s chances at their high-stakes fight, questioning McKean’s credentials and dubbing his own confidence as real versus what he perceives as McKean’s delusion.
The importance of this fight is underscored by the stakes: the winner will emerge as the IBF’s mandatory challenger for heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. This 12-round IBF elimination match is scheduled as part of the undercard for the Anthony Joshua-Robert Helenius event at O2 Arena, London. Interestingly, Usyk, the reigning Ukrainian champion, will defend his array of titles against Daniel Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland, later in August.
Reflecting on his past, Hrgovic recalls his contentious victory over Zhilei Zhang last year in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Despite it being a unanimous decision in Hrgovic's favor, the bout was marred by his less-than-stellar performance, especially after Zhang, an Olympic silver medalist, managed a first-round knockdown against him. However, Hrgovic views the Zhang fight as a necessary experience, suggesting that such performances might lead future opponents to underestimate him – a strategic advantage in his eyes.
Image Credit: Sky Sports