Qualifying match for the IBF world heavyweight title, which was supposed to take place last Saturday with the participation of Philip Hrgovic (14-0, 12 KOs) and Zhang Zhilei (23-0-1, 18 KOs), may be rescheduled for September. Horvat refused the scheduled date of the fight due to poor mental state after the death of his father.
The IBF was sympathetic to the situation and, with Zhang's approval, agreed to keep Hrgovic in a high place in the rankings and reschedule the fight to another date. According to Eddie Hearn, who works with both boxers, the fight could take place as early as August, but September is more likely.
The winner of the fight between the Croatian and the Chinese will become the official contender for the fight with Oleksandr Usyk, who is the world champion according to the International Boxing Federation.
