Filip Hrgovic successfully gets back into the win column beating Joe Joyce by unanimous decision. The fight was an action-heavy affair and did not disappoint with both fighters bringing the heat. For both men a win had big implications and they fought like it.
From the start it was clear what fight this was going to be with Joyce as usual marching down Hrgovic throwing shots and Hrgovic returning fire. Generally what would happen is Joyce would plod forward hands up firing off a jab, leaping in with a left hook or throw an overhand right. The success Joyce had with this varied however he was able to land a decent amount of his shots. Joyce was even succesfully able to re-open a cut Hrgovic sustained against Daniel Dubois,
However, the issue for Joyce was for every shot he was able to land Hrgovic was able to land 3 more shots. Hrgovic’s shots tended to be cleaner, flashier, and generally more effective. All night Hrgovic was able to land big right hands and jabs as well as micing in left hooks. Joyce was able to block some of these shots or dodge them but for the most part they all landed.
Now Joyce was still able to eat those shots and never appeared properly hurt. But, Filip was still by far out landing him and landing those shots. There were a few close rounds and Joyce was always in the fight but it was a clear win for Hrgovic.
What’s Next For Filip Hrgovic
For Filip Hrgovic, this win has put him back in the mix for world-level boxing. He can look to potentially fight some contenders in the lower end of the top 10. This win has given Hrgovic options and there are a few directions he could go.
For Joyce it’s really unclear where to go from here he is clearly past his best but still good enough to where he can hang with decent opposition. There have been calls for Joyce to retire due to concerns over his speech and health and it’s not unwarranted. Since the KO loss to Zhelei Zhang Joyce has not looked the same in the ring or out. This fight showed that his legs have also started to. However his punch resistance and cardio still appear intact.
It is unlikely Joyce will retire but ideally he should step down in competition to either British level or rebook the Whyte fight. Had the Whyte fight gone ahead Joyce appeared as though he could have won that match-up. Regardless, the end is near for Joyce, and any title aspirations he had are gone. The best we can hope for Joyce is for him to get a win and retire before any more lasting damage is done.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
