Filip Hrgović Breaks Silence on Loss to Daniel Dubois

Croatian heavyweight Filip Hrgović has finally opened up about the reasons behind his TKO defeat to current IBF champion Daniel Dubois, which took place in the summer of 2024.

“Boxing isn’t like other sports — losing here is tough because you’re getting beaten up in front of the whole world.

I was supposed to win. I was convinced I’d beat him, but a lot of bad things happened before the fight — injuries, illness just days ahead… So I wasn’t at my best.

Still, I thought I could win even under those conditions.

I underestimated him, thought it would be a much easier fight. Honestly, I should have postponed the bout because I was seriously sick. But I believed I still had enough to knock him out.

He took my best shots and came out on top — credit to him. He’s a completely different fighter than he was a few years ago.

I lost energy after the fifth or sixth round. From the second round on, I could barely see his punches. I had two deep cuts that affected my vision, focus, and gave him the confidence to keep pressuring me,” said Hrgović.

Filip Hrgović is scheduled to return to the ring on April 5, with Joe Joyce lined up as his next opponent.