Buried on the Riyadh undercard beneath Moses Itauma vs. Dillian Whyte, Filip Hrgovic and David Adeleye have a prime chance to hijack the night. It’s a crossroads clash: Hrgovic brings Olympic pedigree and rounds with world-class operators; Adeleye brings danger and the kind of swagger that doesn’t blink under fire.
From Hrgovic’s corner, three pillars matter. The jab is the table-setter - when he’s disciplined, it dictates range and stalls rushes before they start. Experience is the quiet edge: time with Daniel Dubois and Zhilei Zhang (a contentious decision win) means Adeleye is unlikely to show him a look he hasn’t seen. And the chin - stressed against Joe Joyce and Dubois - gives Hrgovic the confidence to keep his shape even if he has to ride out a storm.
Watch Hrgovic vs. Joyce highlights: Watch
For Adeleye, the blueprint is different. The left hook is the money punch, but it needs camouflage - feints, step-ins, and counters - not hopeful swings. Fast-twitch bursts can exploit Hrgovic’s flat feet: raid, exit, reset, make the bigger man turn and jab at shadows. And fearlessness - the willingness to take risks in the pocket - can pry open chances that safer fighters never find.
If Hrgovic keeps the fight long and straight, he blunts Adeleye’s fuse and wins the argument on control. If Adeleye turns it into jolting raids and traps for the hook, he can crack that control and flip the script. Different routes, same prize: momentum in a heavyweight scene that punishes hesitation.
So, will it still the fight night?
Image Credit: The Ring