British heavyweight Joe Joyce faced Croatian fighter Filip Hrgovic in a high-stakes replacement bout on April 5, 2025, at Manchester’s state-of-the-art Co-op Live arena. The highly anticipated clash, which served as Queensberry Promotions’ inaugural event with DAZN, saw Hrgovic emerge victorious via unanimous decision, further solidifying his position in the heavyweight division while leaving Joyce at a critical juncture in his career.
Joyce, 39, was originally scheduled to fight fellow South Londoner Dillian Whyte, but Whyte was forced to withdraw from the contest due to a hand injury sustained in training. Stepping in on relatively short notice, the 32-year-old Hrgovic seized the opportunity to reignite an old Olympic rivalry and bounce back from his first professional defeat. Promoter Frank Warren underscored the significance of the bout, stating in an interview with Ring Magazine, “It’s a tough fight for both of them. It’s exactly the same fight Joe had against Dillian. The winner goes on, and the loser is going to have to think about what he does.”
Fighters at a Crossroads: Recent Form and Olympic History
Both Joyce and Hrgovic entered the Manchester showdown with significant pressure following recent setbacks. Joe “The Juggernaut” Joyce, an Olympic silver medallist from the 2016 Rio Games, brought a professional record of 16 wins (15 by knockout) and 3 losses into the fight. His career had hit a challenging period, having suffered consecutive defeats in 2023 and 2024. He was stopped twice by Zhilei Zhang in 2023, losing his WBO interim heavyweight title, and then suffered a unanimous decision loss to Derek Chisora in July 2024. These losses marked a stark contrast to his earlier career momentum, which included a career-defining tenth-round stoppage victory over Daniel Dubois in 2020, a fight where an eye injury left Dubois unable to continue.
Filip “El Animal” Hrgovic, a 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, held a professional record of 17 wins (14 by knockout) and 1 loss. His sole professional defeat came in June 2024 against Daniel Dubois, where he was stopped by TKO in the eighth round due to extensive cuts in a bout for the vacant IBF interim heavyweight title. Prior to that, Hrgovic had maintained an unbeaten record, including a controversial unanimous decision win over Zhilei Zhang in 2022, a fight many observers felt Zhang had won.
Joe Joyce versus Filip Hrgovic reignites old Olympic feud
The history between Joyce and Hrgovic dates back to their amateur days. Both fighters competed in the super-heavyweight category at the 2012 London Olympics, where Joyce famously secured a silver medal and Hrgovic took home bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Their paths also crossed as amateurs in 2013 in the World Series of Boxing, with Joyce emerging victorious via a split decision in a five-round contest. This professional encounter offered a chance for Hrgovic to avenge that amateur loss and for both men to prove their current standing in the heavyweight hierarchy.
The Night Unfolds: Hrgovic Dominates Joyce
On fight night, Filip Hrgovic delivered a commanding performance, defeating Joe Joyce by unanimous decision after ten rounds. The judges’ scorecards read 97-93, 96-95, and 98-92, all in favor of the Croatian. Hrgovic’s accuracy and consistent punching proved too much for Joyce, who, despite his renowned durability, absorbed significant damage throughout the bout. Hrgovic suffered cuts over both eyes during the fight but battled through them to secure the victory and claim the vacant WBO International heavyweight title.
The fight saw both heavyweights trading blows, but Hrgovic’s cleaner work and higher punch output ultimately swayed the judges. Joyce, known for his relentless pressure, continued to advance, but Hrgovic effectively countered and landed numerous impactful shots. The defeat marked Joyce’s fourth loss in his last five fights, raising serious questions about his future at the elite level of the heavyweight division. For Hrgovic, the win was a crucial step in rebuilding his career after his loss to Dubois and put him back on track for potential world title opportunities.
Undercard Action and Divisional Implications
The “Heavy Impact” card in Manchester also saw other significant developments. In a further shake-up to the event, former cruiserweight world champion Lawrence Okolie was forced out of his scheduled heavyweight bout against Richard Riakporhe due to an injury sustained in training. It remained unclear at the time whether Riakporhe would stay on the card.
However, undefeated heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma, 20, was added to the event, though his opponent was not announced. British Olympian Delicious Orie made his professional debut on the card, securing a points victory. Also on the card, David Adeleye, who had previously stopped Solomon Dacres in 80 seconds, faced off against Jeamie TKV for the vacant British heavyweight title. Adeleye secured a controversial sixth-round TKO victory over TKV. The stoppage was marred by controversy as the referee appeared to call “break” and touch TKV just before Adeleye landed a significant punch that led to a knockdown.
The Manchester event, Queensberry’s first with DAZN, delivered high stakes for all involved. For Filip Hrgovic, the victory over Joe Joyce was a vital rebound, positioning him once again as a serious contender in the heavyweight division and potentially setting up a rematch with Daniel Dubois or a shot at a world title. Conversely, Joe Joyce’s future in top-tier boxing now hangs in the balance, with many speculating about his next steps after a challenging run of defeats. The heavyweight landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and the outcome of this pivotal clash will undoubtedly have lasting implications for both fighters and the division as a whole.
