Remember Heavyweight Star Filip Hrgovic? He Can’t Find An Opponent

Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic, 29, rose to fame for forcing David Haye to pull out of his money fight against Tyson Fury in 2013. The heavyweight star was then an up-and-coming star who the pros used to spar with.

During a training session with Haye, he hit Haye with a wayward right elbow. The injury ruled Haye out of the fight and felt blood beginning to trickle down into his left eye.

Hrgovic was only 21 then, a rising star who was recruited by Wladimir Klitschko, Kubrat Pulev, and Haye to help the boxer sharpen their skills for final sparring sessions before major showdowns.

“That cut cost him five million pounds, which was the agreed fee for the fight. I am sure he still hates me for that,” Hrgovic had said.

Haye was, however, dealt with the setback professionally.

“Filip was in bits, but no-one can blame him because these things happen in sport at any level,” he said.

Fast forward to 2022, Hrgovic sits pretty at the top of the IBF rankings. The sanctioning body is busy combing through the rankings to find an opponent who will face him in a final eliminator.

But no one seems to like the idea of sharing the ring with him. Luis Ortiz and Joseph Parker have already turned down the call.

The winner of the eliminator will become the next IBF mandatory who will then take on the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua rematch, which is scheduled for this April.