While rating Filip Hrgovic as the third-best heavyweight on his record, Dave Allen has assessed the Croatian’s power ahead of his world title challenge against Moses Itauma.
The pair will square off at London’s O2 Arena tomorrow evening, with Itauma bidding to become the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson dethroned Trevor Berbick in 1986.
In order to do so, he must successfully complete a career-toughest assignment against Hrgovic, who represents a considerable step-up from Jermaine Franklin by way of class and experience.
So while Itauma did, of course, look mightily impressive against Franklin – scoring a fifth-round finish in March – there is no guarantee that he will be afforded a similar night’s work this weekend.
In fact, the 21-year-old may need to overcome several moments of jeopardy in order to claim the IBF title, which was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in June.
Hrgovic, meanwhile, appears to be in the shape of his life, yet whether this translates to a career-best performance is another matter entirely.
Either way, Allen has said on his YouTube channel that, despite suffering a third-round stoppage defeat to the 34-year-old in May, he does not view Hrgovic as one of the division’s most formidable punchers.
“I never thought Hrgovic was a big puncher before I boxed him. When I boxed him, I still didn’t think he was. But he’s very strong, he’s got real intent, he throws some very awkward shots – from awkward angles – a lot of them coming flying around the back of the head.
“I thought he was the third-best [fighter] I’ve boxed.”
Allen went on to name Luis Ortiz and Tony Yoka as tougher opponents, with those two heavyweights having dealt him stoppage defeats in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
