Hrgovic Urges Anthony Joshua to Retire Before Tyson Fury Clash

IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic has urged Anthony Joshua to quit boxing, arguing that the British-Nigerian has reached a point where continuing to fight could put his health at risk.

Joshua is preparing for a highly anticipated showdown with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury in Cardiff on Friday, December 11. However, Hrgovic believes the former two-time world champion should walk away from the sport.

Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, the Croatian boxer suggested that financial rewards had influenced Joshua’s decision to continue fighting.

“He is done; he shouldn’t be fighting anymore, but he wants to do one more fight. I think that he is going to make a huge amount of money and he is doing it because of that,” Hrgovic said.

Joshua suffered a stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois in 2024 while challenging for the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title.

He returned to the ring last December and knocked out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The bout marked his first fight after joining Team Usyk and appointing Iegor Golub as his lead cornerman.

However, Joshua’s subsequent outing in July raised fresh questions about his form. He suffered two knockdowns against Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga before stopping him in the second round.

Hrgovic said he felt concerned by Joshua’s performance, particularly after the former champion had reportedly made significant changes to his preparations.

“When I saw that last fight, I felt sorry for him because before the fight he said that he shut all of his businesses to focus on boxing,” he said.

“He changed his coach for the 20th time. He started to work with Team Usyk; he did everything that he could do, and then he comes to the fight with a journeyman, and he goes down in 10 seconds!”

The Croatian added that Joshua’s display left him shocked and reinforced his belief that the former champion should retire.

“I couldn’t believe it. I felt sorry for him, and I think he shouldn’t be fighting anymore. Based on how he looked in his last fight, it was a disaster. He is just not there, man,” Hrgovic said.

He also warned Joshua against continuing to compete if he could no longer withstand the physical demands of professional boxing.

“It is not basketball, it is not soccer. In boxing you come to a point where you can’t fight anymore. It is a dangerous sport, it is a war, and I think that when you come to a point where you can’t fight, you can’t mess around with boxing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Joshua has reunited with former trainer Ben Davison, who previously worked in Fury’s corner. The move comes as he prepares for his proposed December showdown with the British heavyweight.

Hrgovic, on the other hand, is expected to defend his IBF heavyweight title against Frank Sanchez in Croatia in early 2027.