Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic are getting ready for a big fight this weekend. Eddie Hearn thinks Hrgovic will win by knockout.
Joyce started his pro career in 2017 after winning an Olympic silver medal. He got some impressive wins early on, including a stoppage of Daniel Dubois, who's now a world champion. But lately, things haven't gone so well for Joyce. Zhilei Zhang stopped him twice in back-to-back fights, and he lost to Derek Chisora in July 2024. He did bounce back with a win over Kash Ali, but many think his career's winding down.
Hrgovic, on the other hand, has been doing pretty well. The Croatian fighter stopped Daniel Dubois last June and beat Demsey McKean after that. He also won a close fight with Zhilei Zhang on points, though a lot of people argued about that decision.
Joyce wasn't supposed to fight Hrgovic this weekend. He was set to face Dillian Whyte, but Whyte had to pull out. Now, Joyce's going into the fight as the clear underdog.
Eddie Hearn talked about the fight in an interview with The Stomping Ground. He said Joyce used to be known for being tough and having a great chin, but things have changed.
"If you want a prediction he will get well beaten on Saturday and it will be inside three or four rounds, I think."
Hearn thinks Joyce has always been slow in the ring and never looked like a really skilled fighter. But now, his ability to take a punch has gotten worse. Hearn pointed out that even Chisora's punches hurt Joyce in their last fight, which wasn't the case before.
Joyce's tough fights with Zhang and years of hard sparring have taken their toll, according to Hearn. That's why he's picking Hrgovic to win quickly this weekend.
It's a big fight for both men. Joyce wants to show he's still got what it takes, while Hrgovic is looking to prove he belongs at the top of the heavyweight division. We'll see how it all plays out in the ring.
