“You Went to Hospital”: Filip Hrgovic Gets Under Daniel Dubois’ Skin With Controversial Sparring Tale Before Queensberry vs. Matchroom Card

Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic will face off as part of the Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5×5 undercard on June 1. While the exciting fight promises fireworks, it also adds more allure to it because of their heated rivalry. The two met a couple of years ago in a sparing session, but the heat of that one has yet to die off.

The narrative runs that the Czech fighter got the better of Dubois, 26, who was a young boxer then. Ever since the fight between the two received an official date, the tale of their sparring has seized eyeballs. The two dug it up once again when they sat across on the ‘Queensberry vs. Matchroom Heavyweight Roundtable’. Hrgovic, 31, drew the first blood when he declared, “You was smashed before.”

When constantly questioned by the British boxer, Hrgovic said, “You know when. When you went to hospital, after the sparring… Why are you lying?” While ‘Dynamite’ disclosed he was 17, Hrgovic didn’t buy the excuse. Hrgovic continued, “He was not 17. How old are you now? How old are you now? 25?”

Dubois, at 20-2, also didn’t hold back as he asked Hrgovic how he performed in that sparring session. He added, “What did you say when the spar was over? ‘I have no experience, you have all this amateur experience. You give me huge gloves, you wear them. You’re just a sneaky guy’.”

However, Hrgovic, at 17-0, negated his rival’s argument and admitted that he was in Dubois’ gym and it was the latter who gave him his gloves. It seems he has the former WBA champion rattled ahead of the contest. It will work in Hrgovic’s favor, as he has already charted out his future plan, looking ahead of the Dubois fight.

Filip Hrgovic: A clear route to Wembley

Hrgovic is the number one contender for Oleksandr Usyk‘s IBF strap, and anticipations run high that the Ukrainian champion will lose his IBF gold strap. Therefore, the fight with Dubois could have a title on the line. But all await the sanctioning body’s final verdict. Meanwhile, the Zagreb native is confident of a win, and if he falters with an upset loss, he is ready to call it quits.

He announced, “I’m 18 years in this sport working like a maniac. If I lose to Dubois, obviously I’m not [as] good as I think I am, so I am retiring.” But if the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist safeguards his undefeated record and adds Dubois to his list of victims, he will eye a fight with Anthony Joshua at Wembley later this year. He told Queensberry, “I’ll smash Dubois, and then, in September, I’ll come to Wembley to fight Joshua.”

What do you make of this heated exchange between Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois? Who do you think will give their sides a much-needed win on Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5×5 card on June 1? Let us know in the comments below.