I might be speculating here but Hrgovics performance against Zhang was a masterclass. Leading other top fighters to believe he is a hypejob only to pounce when they least expect. Genius. Don't be surprised if he fights Zhang again he will look a very different fighter.
I really like Clarke and he was a quality amateur and prospect albeit an old one at 31 but the underrating of Hrgovic since the Zhang fight is getting ridiculous. Firstly, Zhang is an absolute mountain of a man at 277lbs and he hits crazy hard and the fact that Hrgovic ate everything he thew at him for 12 rounds, and the KD should not have been counted, proves how tough he is because very few other current HWs would've been able to eat that many big shots from Zhang. And that was Hrgovic's first fight with his new trainer and they'd only been working together for nine weeks. And I still think he was affected by the loss of his father. He was really cut up very badly about that and I could see it was still affecting him in an interview a few weeks before the fight IIRC. And his behaviour before the fight was strange. Apparently he was behaving weird during the week of the fight. He was sleeping in his room when he supposed to be doing media work and it was strange during the fight too which many pointed out at the time.
Yes, as if he would risk losing on the cards. I had him losing the bout and although not overwhelmingly, clearly enough.
As a Brit I would root for Frazer Clarke but he has moved very slowly so far. He’s fighting Kamil Sokolowski next month which will be a good workout, but right now Hrgovic would brutally KO Clarke.
No boxer is going to allow themselves to be punched in the face for 12 rounds to prove anything. Hrgovic just isn't that good. Just another slow lumbering guy with no real skill level. Frazer Clarke is the same way. The only difference is at least Hrgovic is in better shape.