Filip Hrgovic is set to defend his IBF heavyweight title in the coming months and could even do so against Rico Verhoeven, and heavyweight veteran Derek Chisora has laid out his prediction for that potential contest.
Hrgovic got the better of Moses Itauma in August, as he sprung the upset to become Croatia’s first ever heavyweight boxing world champion, halting plans for Itauma to take over the division.
Whilst it is expected that Hrgovic will first defend his belt against mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez – who previously agreed to a ‘step-aside deal’ to permit Itauma and Hrgovic to box for the vacant IBF title – it seems as though Turki Alalshikh has other ideas.
Instead, the boxing powerbroker has shared his interest in a bout between Hrgovic and kickboxer-turned-boxer Verhoeven on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua card – a deal that would hinge on Sanchez’s willingness to agree to yet another ‘step-aside fee’.
Speaking with Seconds Out, Chisora admitted that he would actually favour Verhoeven to come out on top, believing that the Croatian’s victory over Itauma flatters the newly-crowned champion.
“Hrgovic would lose that fight. Moses Itauma didn’t get beat, Moses Itauma beat himself.
“It’s not like Moses Itauma left that ring with a beatdown, he just got tired. Hrgovic was far off in rounds, he couldn’t even landed the punches, he [Moses] just got tired.
“Itauma didn’t come out of that ring and say, ‘oh my goodness, I got my a** whooped’.”
Verhoeven almost sprung a huge upset himself earlier this year when he went up against Oleksandr Usyk in just his second professional boxing bout, pushing the Ukrainian hard before ultimately suffering a controversial 11th round stoppage loss.
Elsewhere on the Fury-Joshua card, Amir Khan is being linked to a shock comeback in the co-main event, whilst Keyshawn Davis and Richardson Hitchins could collide in an all-American affair.
