Big Men, Big Stakes For Heavyweights Joyce and Hrgovic Saturday

Even without a title in the mix, heavyweight boxing always draws our attention. Saturday’s main event from Co-op Live in Manchester, England between Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic is high stakes for both men.

Nearing age 40, Joe Joyce needs a win against Filip Hrgovic to stay relevant in the heavyweight division. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

Joyce of London (16-3, 15 KOs) is now 39 and a long way from his 2016 Rio Olympic Games super heavyweight silver medal. He badly needs a win and was originally scheduled to face countryman Dillian Whyte. But Whyte withdrew due to a hand injury.

With three weeks’ notice, Hrgovic of Croatia (17-1, 14 KOs) stepped forward to take on Joyce. The 32-year-old Hrgovic also badly needs a victory after his eighth-round knockout loss caused in part by cuts against Daniel Dubois last June in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Filip Hrgovic hopes to kickstart his push for a title fight with a win on Saturday in Manchester. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

The matchup headlines Queensberry Promotions’ first official card under its new broadcast deal with DAZN. The card airs on Saturday, April 5, starting at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.

Heavyweights Headline First DAZN Card for Queensberry

Frank Warren with Joe Joyce at the final news conference Thursday in Manchester, England. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

Queensberry founder Frank Warren calls it a new era.

“We will be seen worldwide, which is a great, great showcase for all the fighters,” said Warren. “We are competitive, like the boxers and certainly like the rest of the promoters on DAZN, we aim to be the best and put the best shows on and our start is a fabulous one.

“The main event between Joe and Filip is a cracker of a fight, it is a fight with jeopardy involved where the winner will go on and the loser will have a hard, hard task to get back into the mix at the top. We all know what is on the line, and they know that better than anybody else in this room.”

Joe Joyce: Second Win Against Hrgovic The Goal

Zhilei Zhang scored a surprising TKO win against previously undefeated Joe Joyce in 2023. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

Joyce said at Thursday’s final pre-fight news conference it will be a great fight and great entertainment, and he expects a great performance from himself.

“It is good to share the ring with Hrgovic again,” said Joyce. “We had a good scrap last time about 12 years ago,” when the pair were both amateurs. Joyce won a split decision in 2013 in the World Series of Boxing event at York Hall in London.

“The same result is going to happen. I’m going to win and then get elevated back up to the top of the sport,” declared Joyce. “I am really excited to be here again. There is a lot of excitement here and it is going to be a great night of boxing.”

Joyce knows exactly what to expect from his previous experience with Hrgovic. Now, training with Abel Sanchez, Joyce says he will be ready.

“I have worked with Abel before. He’s got a lot of mileage and has been in the sport a long time and had a lot of hard fights. I look forward to knocking him out on Saturday night.”

Filip Hrgovic: Joyce Not At Peak Of Career

Filip Hrgovic was hampered by illness and cuts in his IBF Interim World Heavyweight fight in 2024 against Daniel Dubois. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

Hrgovic joked whether his fight with Joyce would still be the main event after undercard fighters David Adeleye and Jeamie TKV got into a dustup, including a table flip. Hrgovic said he didn’t hesitate to take the fight on short notice because he was ready to go.

“I was already in good shape,” explained Hrgovic. “That is why I accepted this fight, and I think this is a good opportunity for me. This win, hopefully on Saturday, brings me back to the top and it is good to be part of this.

“I am looking forward to the win on Saturday, to knock him out and get back to the top. That is the plan. My motivation is big, for sure. I want to be back at the top and, like Frank (Warren) said, the loser will be in a very bad position. I don’t want to lose.

“Look, he is definitely not in the peak of his career. Fighters get older, and that is the reality. I am seven years younger. I think it will play a role in this fight,” said Hrgovic.

Joyce Battling Age, But Is Hrgovic Ready?

Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic face off Thursday at the final news conference. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

Joyce has suffered several hard losses, including his decision loss with a knockdown in 2024 to warhorse Derek Chisora and a vicious knockout by Zhilei Zhang. Joyce still has power, but he has always been plodding. His power is his last remaining weapon.

Hrgovic isn’t exactly a speed demon. His loss to Dubois was based on damage due to headbutts, but Hrgovic was fading fast. He later blamed the performance on being ill before the fight. If that’s true and he comes in Saturday in good form, he should be able to avoid Joyce and leave with a victory.

Adeleye and Tshikeva Fired Up For Fight

We couldn’t deny readers a look at Thursday’s confrontation.

On the undercard, the coveted British heavyweight title is on the line for David Adeleye of London (13-1, 12 KOs) and Jeamie Tshikeva of London (8-1, 5 KOs). Adeleye, the former European Heavyweight champ, is building back after a TKO loss to Fabio Wardley.

Tkshikeva, who goes by “Jeamie TKV,” was born in Britain to parents from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His father was a wrestling coach, and Tkshikeva pursued Olympic-style wrestling until he was 18, when he tried boxing. He won two national amateur titles and counts Evander Holyfield among his heroes.

Jeamie Tshikeva went full heel Thursday on David Adeleye. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

Tkshikeva is a wild personality and came to the news conference fired up. When he and Adeleye got into a verbal scrap, he flipped over a table. Bodyguards prevented the two from getting close enough to throw any blows.

Tkshikeva said he was offended by Adelaye’s behavior. “The way he has been behaving is very disrespectful. I don’t take that lightly, and I’m going to show him on Saturday.

“This persona that he is putting on, this bad boy persona. We are both educated men, both raised by great parents. So what are you? An academic gangster? I don’t know where this persona comes from my brother. You say you are going to knock me out, but when I say it I am being disrespectful?”

Tkshikeva said Adelaye was taking things too personally because he was scared and had tried to “pull up in my face.” Adelaye had plenty to say about it.

David Adeleye got fired up after insults from opponent Jeamie Tshikeva. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

“All this educated gangster, I am just being myself,” insisted Adelaye. “Of course it is personal. We are fighting in 48 hours. You don’t see a scared man. Where do you see fear in me? Scared of what?”

Adelaye said he trash-talked Tkshikeva’s appearance earlier in the week, “and he is obviously insecure about it … Let’s be real about it. You’re a bitch. Every time I fight, security comes because they know I’m on smoke, with you there is no security.”

Whether or not their fight delivers the same fireworks in the ring, they know how to sell a fight.

Delicious Orie Set For Debut

Delicious Orie joins promoter Frank Warren in Manchester. Photo: Leigh Dawney, Queensberry Promotions

Also on the card, newly signed heavyweight Delicious Orie of Wolverhampton will make his professional debut against Milos Veletic of Bosnia & Herzegovina (3-7, 12 KO). Orie, age 27, is the son of Russian immigrants and a decorated amateur.

He won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a gold the following year at the European Games but fell short at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a surprise split decision loss in the opening round.

“It will be different, there is a slight adaptation and for the last eight years I have just been focused on the Olympics, so for the last three months I have been working with Grant Smith in Sheffield just working on digging in a little bit more, planting my feet, getting used to the smaller gloves as well. I just can’t wait to put it all together this Saturday.”