Daniel Dubois remains a top-level opponent for many in the heavyweight division.
The former IBF champion is coming off a second stoppage loss to Oleksandr Usyk, having been outboxed and then stopped inside five rounds.
Before that, Dubois had been on a fine run that included knockouts of Jarrell Miller, Anthony Joshua and Filip Hrgovic to take him to his maiden world title.
Speaking to Ring Magazine, Hrgovic has now explained why he feels he lost the fight with Dubois and called for a rematch.
“A lot of bad things happened before the fight. I was injured last few weeks of sparring, I was sick before the fight and you could see that in the fight. After six rounds I didn’t have energy because of that illness. And I just underestimated him, I took him lightly, I thought I was going to destroy him.
“He cut me, I was cut from the first round, I had two big cuts on both eyes, big and deep cuts, blood was flowing into my eyes, so everything that could go wrong went wrong. I wasn’t on my level. He did a great job and I’m not satisfied with that outcome. I think I’m better and hopefully I’ll get that fight again and I’ll beat him. That’s the fight I want the most.”
A rematch with Hrgovic could be a solid route back in for Dubois, who needs to rebuild as he has done before after losses. But first, the Croatian must face David Adeleye on August 16.
