AGAINST David Adeleye, Filip Hrgovic cannot allow himself to fall into a trap of chaos and machismo while, in the process, abandoning his technical advantages.
Too often, it seems, the Croatian will surrender himself to a battle of attrition where, with less scope for polished footwork and an accurate jab, he is almost carelessly rolling the dice.
A prime example of this occurred in his last outing, as despite claiming a unanimous decision victory, Hrgovic, 18-1 (14 KOs), was nonetheless forced to trudge through several spells of punishing onslaughts against Joe Joyce.
But while the two heavyweights knocked lumps out of each other, it was difficult not to arrive at the conclusion that Hrgovic, a highly accomplished amateur, could have made it a far easier night’s work for himself.
With Joyce – a largely static mover – marching forward in straight lines, it is rather bewildering, in fact, that we failed to see even the slightest degree of creativity from his opponent.
Instead, we were treated to an all-action slobberknocker between two Olympic medallists who, in all honesty, should know better.
At the same time, however, we know that Hrgovic does have a more technically savvy performance tucked away in his locker, even if he has failed to utilise it in recent years.
His amateur credentials, after all, speak for themselves, while those of Adeleye, 14-1 (13 KOs), on the other hand, only pale in comparison.
More than anything else, the Londoner has firmly established himself as a dynamite puncher. His power, in that sense, almost represents a get-out-of-jail-free card which, especially in the heavyweight division, remains perhaps the most desirable mode of currency.
Not only that, but the 28-year-old possesses a remarkable combination of guts and guile where, even when he gets seriously hurt – just like in the Fabio Wardley fight, for instance – he will never hesitate before throwing down his gauntlet.
That comfort in the heat of battle, then, is something which Hrgovic must remain particularly mindful of.
It is worth mentioning, too, that this is only his second fight with Abel Sanchez, a coach who, most notably through his work with Gennady Golovkin, is known for pushing his fighters to their limits, both physically and mentally, during each training camp.
An extra level of fitness should not give Hrgovic any excuse to dive straight into the trenches, though, as it is from a technical perspective where he boasts several advantages over Adeleye.
Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye Fight Prediction
Despite having joined forces with trainer Adam Booth, a proven tactician, Adeleye has not exactly demonstrated any new strings to his bow, but rather consolidated his identity as a spiteful puncher.
And so, if Hrgovic is able to keep him on the end of a stiff jab, while utilising his crafty footwork to create angles, it is difficult to envision a world where ‘Big D’ lands enough meaningful shots to dent the 33-year-old’s sturdy chin.
In response to his limited success, Adeleye is then likely to suffer from a hellish spell of fatigue before, eventually, succumbing to a torrid onslaught down the stretch.
A late stoppage victory for Hrgovic, featuring on the undercard of Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, could therefore materialise this Saturday.
