The IBF has scheduled a 30-day free negotiation period between Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KOs) and Andy Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) for an interim heavyweight title fight.
Last November 12, Usyk and Hrgovic were given a mandatory title fight by the IBF, but Hrgovic's camp immediately demanded a purse bid hearing. The issue was put on hold until earlier this month when the IBF apologized and admitted that the WBA was the next obligatory challenger in the rotation.
Hrgovic went on to face China's Zhilei Zhang, surviving an opening round knockdown to win a disputed decision in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on August 20 of 2022. The title eliminator took place on the same card as Oleksandr Usyk's rematch victory over Anthony Joshua of England to defend his WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles.
Since his victory over Joshua, Ruiz has only competed twice. He formerly held the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles. When the Mexican heavyweight knocked out Joshua in the seventh round of their fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City in June 2019, he astonished the world by coming back from a knockdown to score four of his own. Joshua boxed his way to victory in their December 2019 rematch against Ruiz, who was noticeably out of shape.
Since then, two decision victories have occurred, both in the greater Los Angeles region, over Chris Arreola in May 2021 and Luis Ortiz in September 2022. In the second round, Ruiz got up off the ground and decisively defeated Arreola on a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View. His victory over Ortiz on Fox Sports PPV, which was the main event, put an end to a 16-month absence from the ring due to injuries.
Image Credit: Sky Sports