WBO interim heavyweight title holder Zhang Zhilei criticized the performance of the mandatory challenger for the IBF belt Filip Hrgovic in a duel with Mark De Mori.
On March 9, at a boxing evening in Riyadh, a fight for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title will likely take place between Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) and Filip Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs). On this day the Briton had to cross his gloves with Deontay Wilder, but the American lost Joseph Parker this Saturday. An alternative option for the Briton could now be a fight for the International Boxing Federation belt with the Croatian.
Current challenger for the IBF mandatory heavyweight title Philip "El Animal" Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs) defeated Viking stamp De Mori (41-3-2, 36 KOs) in the first round on Saturday night's undercard at the Royal Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Eddie Hearn, in an interview with Boxing Social, stated that it is very likely that Anthony Joshua (26-3, 23 KO) will fight Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) next year.
It is expected that on November 9 Kubrat Pulev (27-1, 14 KOs) will return to the ring in the United States. Mark de Mori (37-2-2, 33 KOs), who was knocked out in the first round by David Haye in 2016, will be a rival for IBF heavyweight official challenger.