Frank Warren looks ahead to Joyce vs Hrgovic

On Saturday night, Queensberry kick-off their new broadcast deal with DAZN with a heavyweight offering from Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena.

Joe ‘The Juggernaut’ Joyce, 16-3 (15 KOs), will take on Filip ‘El Animal’ Hrgovic, 17-1 (14 KOs), in a real crossroads fight. For all the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.

Joyce had been due to meet his British rival, Dillian Whyte, but was forced into a change of plan when Whyte injured his finger during training.

“Joe just wants to fight”

After a poor run of form, many have been vocal in their calls for Joyce to retire but Hall of Fame promoter, Frank Warren, revealed that when Whyte withdrew from their proposed fight, Joyce didn’t hesitate about taking on the dangerous Croatian.

Hrgovic also needs to take an eye-catching scalp. Last June, he was stopped in the eighth round of his IBF interim title fight with Daniel Dubois.

Had Hrgovic won, he rather than Dubois would have been upgraded to full champion and be handed the opportunity to defend his belt against Anthony Joshua last September.

Instead he finds himself needing to prove his worth and leapt at the chance to replace the stricken Whyte.

“Coming off of a loss against Daniel Dubois, he wants to get back into the mix. He wants to get back to the top table and he volunteered for the fight,” Warren told Queensberry.

“I spoke to Joe, Joe just wants to fight. Joe’s looking at fighting somebody who is ranked – as Filip is – but for both of them this is this is quite an important fight.”

“Filip is very competitive”

The stakes couldn’t be higher. A defeat would send either man into the heavyweight wilderness but a fourth loss in five fights would almost certainly spell the end of Joyce’s career.

For years, Joyce was an unstoppable force but after suffering back to back stoppage losses to Zhilei Zhang and a decision defeat to the veteran’s veteran, Derek Chisora, he finds himself in last chance saloon.

Should Hrgovic lose to this version of the 39 year-old Londoner, he too would find himself at a the back of a long line of ambitious heavyweights.

That desperation, Warren believes, will produce a thriller.

“Joe Joyce, he can’t afford another loss. This will determine where he goes in the top echelon of the heavyweight division and I suppose it’s the same really for Filip so it’s going to be an exciting fight and looking at the old adage we use, styles make fights,” Warren said.

“Their styles will make a a good fight. Joe doesn’t take a backward step and Filip, certainly early on in fights, he’s very competitive and he lets his shots go so I’m looking forward to it.”

On the undercard there is an intriguing, exciting looking fight between two heavyweights who are at the opposite end of their careers to Hrgovic and Joyce.

David Adeleye, 13-1 (12 KOs), and Jeamie TKV, 8-1 (5 KOs), will fight for the vacant British title.

Adeleye has a the explosiveness and personality to be a big player in a bubbling heavyweight division. It is 16 months since he was stopped by then British champion, Fabio Wardley, but he seems to have rebounded well from the setback.

“Adeleye is a hungry young man”

He took himself back to the gym and has gone about rebuilding himself under Adam Booth. Last December he returned and knocked out English champion, Solomon Dacres, inside the opening round. Adeleye’s rehabilitation isn’t complete yet but beating TKV would prove that he is firmly on the right path.

TKV is a dangerous underdog and has absolutely everything to gain. Beating Adeleye and winning the British title on such a high profile stage would see him instantly jump into the mix for some major fights.

“British heavyweight title fights have always been exciting fights and for David Adeleye, this is a fight he has to win,” Warren said.

“He’s with us and he has to win this fight. He lost that fight to Fabio, came back and had a real good win against Sol Dacres – an emphatic win – and he’s got to do the same thing this time.

“He’s a young man, he’s hungry. He can be in some seriously big fights and the British scene is is really lively. We’re blessed with heavyweights in the UK.”

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