Top heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic has slammed Tyson Fury's promoter Frank Warren for solely developing "hype jobs" after Joe Joyce's shock loss to Zhilei Zhang on Saturday night.
The Croatian contender defeated Zhang last summer on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk's rematch with Anthony Joshua, although many felt the decision was controversial. He was dropped by the 39-year-old Olympian and struggled in the early rounds, but rallied as his opponent tired and managed to eek out the points win.
But Hrgovic, who has been frustrated in his efforts to secure a shot at heavyweight gold despite his IBF mandatory spot, believes Warren was "talking s***" before the Joyce fight. He also claimed to have "destroyed" Daniel Dubois, another Warren prospect, in sparring, insisting he could beat any of the promoter's heavyweights.
“I just want to say Frank Warren was telling a lot of s*** after my fight with Zhang,” Hrgovic told iFL TV. “He talked lot of s***. What he can tell me now? I destroyed Daniel Dubois in sparring and now his fighter got beat by the fighter that I beat. What he want to say right now?
“I want to ask him one question, why he producing only the hype jobs? If you can forward him this question. Frank, you ask why I was considered a bogeyman, so now you see why I was considered bogeyman because I beat on my worst night Zhang and he came to London and destroyed your fighter in six rounds. That’s why I was considered a bogeyman.”
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Joyce was heavily favoured to beat Zhang over the weekend, but his trademark ability to take damage became his undoing as a swelling under his eye caused a doctor to stop the fight in the sixth round. It had been expected that he would wear his rival's shots early and then stop the fight when he began to tire, but the bout was stopped too early for that.
As a result, Joyce has lost his spot as the WBO interim champion and mandatory challenger, and will need to either rematch Zhang or face an uphill battle towards regaining a spot atop the division. At the age of 37, it has been recommended that he go straight to the second fight, as is contractually obligated, instead of easing back into the ring with a tune-up.
“It was a good fight," Joyce said immediately after the bout. "I think I could have done better. I haven’t fought a southpaw for so long and credit to him because he’s a good fighter. I gave it my all. I think I could do better, but it’s just disappointing. I expected to win like I normally do."
