Heavyweight Showdown
Last night’s Queensberry Promotions/DAZN Main Event between Joe “Juggernaut” Joyce (16-4, 15 Kos) and Filip “El Animal” Hrgovic (18-1, 14 Kos) was quite entertaining considering what these two combatants brought to that squared circle at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
Hrgovic, who took this bout on short notice, clearly wasn’t at his best on the night but did assert himself quite well considering the short three-week camp. Hrgovic conserved his energy by throwing calculated and effectives punches round by round making sure each and every one of them was felt.
As for Joyce, who may have looked the part, definitely looked like a fighter that has been regressing fight after fight as of late. Joyce understood the assignment and proceeded to press the action but to me he was getting hit way too cleanly round by round. Joyce was never a fast fighter but last night, although his punches still looked like they thumped with power, his slow movement and reaction made it painful to watch at times.
That said, Hrgovic may not have been in tip top shape but was good enough to go rounds with a slow looking “Juggernaut” and hammer in his punches as much as he could to edge out the rounds in my opinion.
Joyce showed us he could still take a heavy punch but at the cost of taking them he did not look good. After 10 brutal rounds of action the Judges at hand scored it 98-92, 97-93 and 96-95 unanimously for Filip Hrgovic.
This was an important bout for both combatants. The winner can move forward to a brighter opportunity while the loser will fall down the Heavyweight Division standings and re-evaluate their future.
Blaze