Oleksandr Usyk vs Filip Hrgovic

I don't know how on the ball the IBF is at the moment.

Currently, the number 1 heavyweight contender and mandatory listed on the official IBF site is Eric Wargo from Costa Rica.

Not sure how long they've been hacked or if they are aware of it.

https://www.ibf-usba-boxing.com/ratings/

 

Hrgovic falls under the Joshua dilemma. Has the experience, fundamentals and physique to challenge Usyk. Yet doesn't seem able to put it all together in the ring. His last two outings are examples of that. If the fight does happen next, I expect Hrgovic to start out well in the first few rounds until Usyk starts to pick up the pace and start to overwhelm Filip with his footwork and activity and force Hrgovic to enter in a deer in the headlights type mindset.

Usyk UD.

 

Levels.

Usyk will be able to hit as hard and as often as he wants - it'll either be UD or KO/TKO IMHO.

 

85% Usyk UD - 15% Hrgović lucky punch
Hrgovic's performance against Zhang tells me nothing but this.

 

I agree with the first part and disagree with the second. I think Hrgovic will look just fine against Usyk.

I don't know why people are so down on Hrgovic after his last two outings, given the Zhang fight was an EXCELLENT fight and war (and Zhang is clearly really tough to beat) ... which Hrgovic won ... and his last opponent held for 90 percent of EVERY round (and often refused to let go - that was a Bonehugger Smith type performance) ... until the ref FINALLY started warning McKean ... and Hrgovic quickly stopped him.

Usyk isn't going to hold 90 percent of the round. And Usyk isn't a giant, heavy-handed killer like Zhang.

A Usyk-Hrgovic fight should be a fairly straightforward, clean, crisp-punching boxing match.

And Hrgovic does have the experience, fundamentals and physique (as you said) ... and Hrgovic showed against Zhang he also is clearly mentally tough enough (unlike Dubois) ... that it should be a great fight.

If Usyk-Hrgovic is next, I'd love that.

 

In fact, if Hrgovic's last two fights showed us anything it's that even if he's mauled the whole night, he closes strong.

He had Zhang all but out near the end of their fight, and he did stop McKean.

Hrgovic doesn't tend to fade at the end.

 

Usyk wins by UD.

But I can see Usyk getting derailed like Joshua vs Ruiz at some point by somebody.

Like Joshua vs Ruiz, Usyk looked beatable in the Dubois fight.

 

Hrgovic currently is clearly top 10, hell top 5 fighter of all the HW. Usyk - Hrgovic going to be insanely good fight.
Hrgovic is feared and avoided for a reason. His chin is absolutely Iron, great physique, and people forget he lost his father prior to Zhang fight.
The guy is a monster, unbeaten, while not the heaviest puncher, he carry decent power with solid speed.

 

Hrgovic is actually a very good fighter - big, strong, has great chin (which was proven against Zhang), good work rate and good fundamentals. Plus he is mentally tough and packs a good powerz especially in his right hand.

He will be a very solid challenger for Usyk

 

Looks similar to the Joshua fight. The rounds could possibly be more competitive as I expect Hrgovic to throw more but still a 9-3 type of win for Usyk.

Although Usyk is getting older and that has to catch up with him at some point, it always does.

 

Difficult to predict.
Hrgovic is a solid fighter. Good gas tank too.
Usyk is on the wrong side of 35. Any night can be "the night he gets old"
Usyk is great, but he isn't unstoppable. We just saw him get dropped hard by a single punch to the body. Sure there was some controversy, but he got put down by a body shot. Even if you think the punch was "technically low", he wasn't hit in the groin. He was hit in the belly, and it looked like he was out of it.

I'd lean toward picking Usyk, he's got the higher level of skills; but, a Hrgovic win would not be a huge upset.

 

usyk will get KO'd if he keeps fighting heavyweights of this level.

Dubious fight was a mistake they wouldn't make that mistake twice unless they had no options

Down to what the Saudis are planning.

 

Usyk is 36, almost 37, by the time fight being made, he will be either 37 or a month of 37, as Usyk is born in January.

As far as the lowblow, as it was a lowblow, you don't need to be hit on the balls. Bladder shot hurts super hard. Only Usyk knows, but he may have connect with the protector and from them to make a connection with the *** which is insanely painful.

Dubois landed plenty of low blows that night as well. Around 10-20 clear lowblows.
So nothing wrong with Usyk body, it's actually Iron, unless you are hitting illegal shots on him.