‘If he wins this Saturday I should fight him next’: Filip Hrgovic looks towards fight with Oleksandr Usyk

Filip Hrgovic tells Sky Sports that since we’re not getting an undisputed heavyweight unification between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, he’ll be pressing to enforce his mandatory IBF title position to get his shot at the belt.

That belt is currently held by Usyk, who will take on Daniel Dubois this weekend, and Hrgovic says he’s waited patiently enough and will look to fight the winner.

“I am next in line for Oleksandr Usyk. If he wins this Saturday I should fight him next.

“I should get that shot. I’ve waited so long for this, to get this IBF mandatory position and I’ve defended it,” Hrgovic said. “There is no conversation about that.”

Hrgovic goes on to say he hopes to get his opportunity by either the end of this year or the top of the coming year, and says he’s already received written notification from the IBF that he’s on deck for the title shot.

In the meanwhile Hrgovic looks at Usyk’s matchup against Dubois, reasoning that Dubois really only has a puncher’s chance given the skill and experience edge Usyk carries over him. That said, Hrgovic will take his title shot against whomever it may be.

And as for the other heavyweight titleholder, Tyson Fury, Hrgovic thinks it’s a shame that the sanctioning bodies are allowing him to hold up the division with a farce of a fight against Francis Ngannou. Fury’s no longer interested in legitimate boxing, as Hrgovic sees it, and says the rest of the deserving fighters shouldn’t have to sit and wait in limbo while he messes about with these exhibition fights.