Derek Chisora backs Rico Verhoeven to beat Filip Hrgovic, says Hrgovic's win over Moses Itauma 'flatters' him
Derek Chisora has predicted Rico Verhoeven would beat IBF champion Filip Hrgovic, arguing Hrgovic's victory over Moses Itauma was misleading. The possible Hrgovic–Verhoeven clash has been floated for the Fury–Joshua card.
Heavyweight veteran Derek Chisora has told Seconds Out he would favour kickboxer-turned-boxer Rico Verhoeven in a potential meeting with IBF champion Filip Hrgovic. Chisora suggested Hrgovic’s August win over Moses Itauma overstated the newly crowned champion’s performance and argued Itauma simply tired. Interest has been expressed in staging Hrgovic v Verhoeven on the Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua card, but any deal would depend on mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez agreeing to another step-aside arrangement.
Derek Chisora: ‘Hrgovic would lose that fight’
Speaking to Seconds Out and reported by Boxing News, Derek Chisora made a clear prediction about a possible meeting between Filip Hrgovic and Rico Verhoeven. "Hrgovic would lose that fight," Chisora said, arguing that Hrgovic’s victory over Moses Itauma earlier this year flattered the Croatian. Chisora added: "Moses Itauma didn’t get beat; Moses Itauma beat himself… It’s not like Moses Itauma left that ring with a beatdown; he just got tired. Hrgovic was far off in rounds; he couldn’t even land the punches; he [Moses] just got tired." The comments set out Chisora’s view that Verhoeven would be the superior test for Hrgovic.
Hrgovic’s rise: IBF champion after beating Itauma
Filip Hrgovic won the IBF heavyweight title in August by defeating Moses Itauma, becoming Croatia’s first heavyweight boxing world champion, according to the report. The same source says Hrgovic is set to defend that IBF title in the coming months. Mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez was expected to be Hrgovic’s first defence; Sanchez previously agreed to a step-aside deal that allowed the Itauma–Hrgovic contest to take place for the vacant IBF crown.
Turki Alalshikh floats Hrgovic v Verhoeven for Fury–Joshua undercard
Boxing News reports that powerbroker Turki Alalshikh has expressed interest in staging Hrgovic against Rico Verhoeven on the Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua card. The article states that any such matchup would depend on Sanchez’s willingness to accept another step-aside fee. The possible bout would pair Hrgovic with Verhoeven, the kickboxer-turned-boxer, a contest that Chisora has publicly backed in favour of Verhoeven.
Verhoeven pushed Usyk; Fury–Joshua card also linked to other surprise names
Rico Verhoeven almost undermined expectations earlier this year when he gave Oleksandr Usyk a tough fight in only his second professional boxing bout, before losing via an 11th-round stoppage described as controversial. Boxing News also links other potential components to the Fury–Joshua card: Amir Khan has been mentioned as a possible shock comeback candidate for the co‑main event, while an all‑American meeting between Keyshawn Davis and Richardson Hitchins has been mooted. These elements remain at the linking and interest stage in the report.