Dillian Whyte was due to face Joe Joyce on April 5 in Manchester (Image: Getty)
Joe Joyce is set to square off against his old amateur rival Filip Hrgovic on April 5, following Dillian Whyte’s withdrawal from their highly-anticipated Manchester bout. Whyte has pointed to a finger injury as the cause for stepping back, but Joyce’s team at Queensberry Promotions didn’t waste any time securing a formidable replacement.
Hrgovic, aged 32, is gearing up for his comeback fight after suffering a punishing loss to Daniel Dubois last June. Meanwhile, 39-year-old Joyce is looking to bounce back from his own unexpected defeat at the hands of Derek Chisora the previous year. The two heavyweights have history, having clashed in the World Series of Boxing in 2013, where Joyce emerged victorious on points after five rounds of intense action that blended amateur and professional rules.
Their rivalry extends to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where both men were bested by Tony Yoka; Joyce claimed a silver medal while Hrgovic took home bronze.
Queensberry released a statement confirming Whyte’s injury: “Due to a hand injury, Dillian Whyte will not be able to compete on the April 5 show.”
The upcoming event, taking place at the Co-Op Live in Manchester, marks Frank Warren’s inaugural promotion on the streaming service DAZN.