A DELECTABLE crossroads matchup between Filip Hrgovic and David Adeleye, two heavyweights who have it all to prove, could quite easily steal the show this Saturday.
The pair will feature on the undercard of Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte, and while it is buried significantly further down the bill, their clash should nonetheless deliver plenty of thrills and spills in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Here, Boxing News takes a look at how the fight could be won and lost from the perspective of both corners.
Filip Hrgovic – Keys to Victory
Jab
As an Olympic bronze medallist, Hrgovic, 18-1 (14 KOs), boasts a level of pedigree which, against a fighter like Adeleye, 14-1 (13 KOs), can only be viewed as a sizable advantage.
But he did not, of course, reach the dizzy heights of amateur boxing by just simply marching forward, hoping to land a meaningful shot.
Rather, the Croatian developed his lead hand into a formidable weapon, designed to control the distance while, in equal measure, making each opponent think twice before stepping into range.
And while he has shown glimpses of this in the professional ranks, Hrgovic must now rediscover elements of the shot which, not so long ago, made him a particularly successful competitor.
Experience
As previously mentioned, Hrgovic’s greater experience should represent a significant factor against Adeleye, whose most notable outing saw him get emphatically stopped by Fabio Wardley.
Even away from his amateur career, where he came up against a plethora of styles, Hrgovic has faced both Daniel Dubois and Zhilei Zhang – arguably, two world-class operators – as a professional.
Indeed, his encounter with the former resulted in a devastating stoppage defeat, while a less punishing clash with the latter saw him claim a unanimous decision victory, albeit in highly-contentious fashion, just under three years ago.
But either way, Adeleye is unlikely to present anything which Hrgovic, now almost a wily veteran, has not seen before.
Chin
In his last outing against Joe Joyce, Hrgovic absorbed an almost alarming amount of punches and, if nothing else, proved to possess a tremendous chin.
The same, in fact, could be said of his performance against Dubois, where, while largely abandoning his technical advantages, the 33-year-old’s ability to soak up punishment was truly quite remarkable.
And so, even against an explosive puncher like Adeleye, the fact that Hrgovic has withstood thumping shots against Joyce, Dubois and Zhang should give him plenty of confidence ahead of their showdown.
David Adeleye – Keys to Victory
Left hook
It is no secret that a crushing left hook has become Adeleye’s signature punch, a shot so powerful that, should it connect, could potentially dent a chin as sturdy as Hrgovic’s.
Hrgovic, though, is likely to be aware of this, meaning that Adeleye must be especially thoughtful when delivering his most lethal weapon.
Traditionally, ‘Big D’ has not exactly set the world alight with his technical abilities but, with a proven tactician like Adam Booth in his corner, perhaps he will now focus more on setting traps, rather than relying solely on his physical prowess.
Fast-twitch movement
Hrgovic has exposed himself on several occasions, particularly in his last outing, as a fighter who, despite his impressive amateur credentials, remains a somewhat static, and almost painfully flat-footed, mover.
Adeleye, therefore, could take advantage of that weakness, especially with a view to overwhelm his opponent with bursts of explosive attacks.
That way, the 28-year-old is far more likely to nullify Hrgovic’s technical prowess, and not find himself on the receiving end of a prolific jab, while also increasing the chances of a highlight-reel finish.
Fearlessness
Despite losing to Wardley in such conclusive fashion, Adeleye showed back then, in 2023, that, even when badly hurt, he has absolutely no problem with launching himself into the fire.
That level of fearlessness, then, should only benefit him this weekend, when one can only suspect that he will, at times, be forced to take considerable risks.
By placing himself in the danger zone, Adeleye is more likely to create a series of openings which, in turn, should present him with greater opportunities for success.
And of course, the Londoner has proven to possess the mental fortitude to do exactly that, even against a customer as durable as Hrgovic.
