Fabio Wardley to fight FIlip Hrgovic for the first defence?

I'd understand if this wasn't for a title shot, but it is. Take the chance. He's been sitting around for long enough.

 

''Easy fight'' ''outbox'' Parker did not ''outbox'' Wardley it was a highly competitive 6-4 in rounds fight through 10 and Wardley had multiple rounds in which he was outboxing Parker.

As for the fight Hrgovic has done nothing to suggest he walks through or easily beats a fearless athletic and confident fast stud like Wardley. he struggled with old man Zhang and even had a semi-competitive fight with the corpse of Joyce. Hrgovic is also quite a big stiff slow European fighter so highly unlikely he can nip in and out of range and use his feet like Huni did. so Wardley likely drags him into a dogfight somewhat like Adalaye did but unlike Adalaye Wardley is world class and he could without a doubt out dog him and beat him.

 

If he had a gas tank, maybe...

The problem is he still doesn't - it's his most glaring weakness and yet it's just not sorted out.
Which, arguably, suggests it can't and therefore never will be.


It's a good solid durable gatekeeper fight for Wardley to lock in contender status with, especially as it's a win he'd have to grind out to a points win (unless cuts open) - failing to do that would suggest he's a limited fringe contender with punchers chance and little more.

I can see why they'd both want it - it's a solid, if overrated, opponent for Wardley and a rare shot at a title for Hrgovic (and a bit of a gift at that) who isn't likely to climb over too many live bodies for another one.


Equally...
I'm not really surprised Hrgovic doesn't want the smoke - it's the story of his career, get into a decent enough position and then waste it.

Plus, it's not like he has much of punchers chance (he doesn't have the power, and Wardleys chin seems okay so far).

 

I'm not sure he ever really wanted it...
He's had opportunities to build, take risks to improve his profile and get into position where he couldn't be ignored and he's squandered them - sitting on his ass after Zhang and now getting gifted a rank now without doing much of note to get it - the Dubois fight was the one and only time he's fought a known dangerous opponent (Zhang's level was pretty unknown before Hrgovic got in with him).

Especially as he doesn't really need it, it's not surprising that he's not interested - it's not like he ever showed much signs of being desperate to succeed.

 

I think it is as simple as he has to develop a strategy to defend the cut. It's always going to be a problem now.

 

Jab, move, jab, move, right hand, move doesn't seem like rocket science to me. He's got the reach for it.

 

Nor me...and yet he's never done it, so...

 

nobody survives that barrage that Adeleye caught Hrgovic with if Wardley is throwing them (round 8 I think it was?). And I tend to think nobody survives a dogfight with Wardley. That combo of power, meanness, aggression, speed, stamina, and instinct is too much.

but can someone just avoid that stuff? Absolutely. I’d expect Usyk to deny Wardley any opportunity for that kind of success and to cleanly box him to a shutout.

Hrgovic has such a nice 1-2. Used right, I think he’s capable of staying on the outside and winning a boring decision here.

Parker just fought dumb. Round 2 should have told him to NOT stand toe to toe with Wardley. Yet he kept doing it.

 

he should be all 1-2s with that right hand accuracy he’s got. If he had the power of a Dubois, Zhang, AJ, or Wardley, he’d be undisputed because his right is so accurate.

 

I think that young Daniel Dubois is a more likely opponent for Wardley.

I don’t think Hrgovic vs Wardley happens.

 

Seems plausible.

Dubois is game to fight almost anyone and brings decent money - neither of which Hrgovic brings.

Looks bad when his most recent fight was a loss (albeit to an atg), but the AJ win plus beating Hrgovic himself arguably makes him more deserving regardless - which says plenty about Hrgovic, given his most recent fight was a life and death job against a journeyman level bloke.

 

To be fair, Parker was coked up at the time!

 

Hrgovic could not even get rid of Adeleye, despite him standing right in front of him. His lack of technique to generate power with his right hand despite being a "professional" for 8 years is amateurish. He still slaps with his right hand as an amateur does, which is why he cannot stop anyone who is British level or above.

Wardley cleaned Adeleye out and knocked him out cold. Dubois would also knock Adeleye out cold.

The Dubois vs Wardley fight makes a lot more sense, as they are closer in level.

 

Hrgovic spent a lot of time with the Sauerland brothers and didn't fully develop as a boxer, I feel sorry for him because I think he could have done more in his career but I wouldn't say he had a bad career, Hrgovic also tends to neglect his defense and has suffered quite a bit of damage, he has a great chin but any chin can be broken...

 

Short of fixing his stamina, I don't think he could've been all that much better - he's broadly overrated, too, in my view.

Regardless, he's done okay - especially considering his reluctance to really chase opportunities.