Welcome to April 2025 and another exciting month of action from a competitive heavyweight boxing scene. We open with a fascinating showdown in Manchester where big-punching duo Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic meet in a bout scheduled for ten rounds.
The Juggernaught will enjoy the backing of a passionate UK audience, but will he give his army of fans something to cheer? You can follow live on DAZN.
The main event is a non-title bout, which doesn’t diminish the fixture. Both Joyce and Hrgovic know a victory on Saturday would propel them up the rankings and towards the major players in the highest division of professional boxing. The loser will slip down the pecking order and face a long road back.
Who will claim the bragging rights? Will Joyce add win number 17 to his record, or will Hrgovic spoil the party by adding an 18th win to his career and his first since December 2023? You can make predictions on Joyce vs Hrgovic or any fight from a packed Frank Warren card. Major sportsbooks offer a long list of odds, markets and promotions. Pick the winner or play one of the many specials available.
Former professional boxer and respected sports betting writer Frankie Monkhouse previews Saturday’s Queensberry Promotions card, focusing on the main event. He brings TalkSPORT readers up-to-speed on both men, shows the most generous betting odds available and makes his final predictions, including a pick at a great price.
Joyce vs Hrgovic odds
Joyce vs Hrgovic is a fascinating contest, and another example of the ambitious match-making boxing fans are enjoying this year. Both men are seriously talented fighters with earth-shattering power. It has all the ingredients of a thriller, and few in the know believe Saturday’s clash will go the distance.
Joyce vs Hrgovic will quickly develop into a shootout, and that’s great news for those in attendance and the millions worldwide following live on DAZN. Who do traders working at the leading online sportsbooks expect to leave the ring victorious on Saturday evening? Surprisingly, Hrgovic is a strong pre-fight favourite.
Croatian power puncher Hrgovic carries an 82% knockout average, and the odds suggest he’s about to add another respected name to his hit list. However, professional boxing is notoriously unpredictable, especially in the heavyweight division, where one blow can change the course of a fight. Remember, as soon as the bell rings to herald the start of round one, the odds, crowd, or anything else can’t sway the outcome.
- Joe Joyce to win at 3/1
- Draw at 16/1
- Filip Hrgovic to win at 29/100
Odds provided by Tote are subject to change.
Joyce vs Hrgovic outcome odds
In addition to the fight-winner market available on Joyce vs Hrgovic, there’s also a list of other eye-catching markets attached to the heavyweight showdown. The leading bookmakers cover all the most popular options, including total rounds, the fight to last the distance, to be knocked down but win and other options.
Regular readers of my big-fight previews for TalkSPORT know I am a big fan of the method of victory market. With this option, you must predict which fighter will win and how they’ll achieve the result: on points or by KO/TKO. I often take advantage of the method of victory market because it offers players a chance to secure better odds than is available in the fight-winner.
Study the form and stats of both fighters, research any relevant injury news or problems in training, and then make your findings fit one of the markets. If a fighter is on a run of KO wins, you can back them for another early night. If you expect one man to use his boxing skills to impress the judges, you can bet on the points win.
- Joyce to win on points at 9/1
- Joyce by KO/TKO at 11/2
- Hrgovic to win on points at 5/2
- Hrgovic by KO/TKO at 4/5
Odds provided by Tote are subject to change.
Juggernaught stuck on a losing streak
Joe Joyce enters the ring ranked number eight in the United Kingdom and as low as 18th on the global charts. That’s surprising when we remember Joe famously stopped current world champion Daniel Dubois in a one-sided contest. Joyce also beat the highly respected Joseph Parker in the 11th round of an excellent contest three years ago.
What’s gone wrong for the much-loved British heavyweight and 2016 silver medallist? The imposing 6’ 6” orthodox boxer brings a professional record of 16 wins against three defeats, with all but one of his wins coming inside the distance. When preparing your bets for this match, it’s worth remembering that Joyce’s three career defeats came in his last four outings. He’s a man in desperate need of a victory, or his career could end in Manchester.
Joyce suffered his first defeat as a professional boxer against China’s explosive Zhilei Zhang when losing in round six at the Copper Box Arena in London. Eager to make amends, a rematch was hastily arranged, only for Big Bang to detonate and end things before the end of round three at Wembley Arena. Joyce then beat Kash Ali over ten rounds in Birmingham before losing to Derek Chisora less than a year ago.
Stats:
- Age: 39 years old
- Height: 6’ 6”
- Weight: Heavyweight
- Record: 16-3-0
El Animal hungry for another KO win
Filip Hrgovic is a heavyweight fighting out of Zagreb, Croatia and one of the most feared fighters in the division. The 6’ 6” orthodox boxer enters the ring as the number one ranked fighter in his homeland and 20th in the world. Like his opponent, fans will be surprised to see Filip so low in the charts despite boasting an impressive record, beating many talented opponents with ease.
The man known as El Animal has lost only one of his previous 18 bouts. The 32-year-old won 14 of his 17 fights by knockout or stoppage but was beaten on the scorecards in his most recent start. Hrgovic suffered his first defeat as a prizefighter, losing inside eight rounds against Daniel Dubois at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia. With the interim IBF world title on the line that evening in Riyadh, Hrgovic knows he missed a golden opportunity to supercharge his career.
There is certainly no shame in losing to Dynamite Dubois, and the Londoner has gone on to show that he belongs at the top level when knocking out Anthony Joshua at Wembley last September. But Hrgovic knows he must make a quickfire return to winning ways. Losing to an ageing Joyce on a miserable run of form would undo much of El Animal’s best work. Can he avoid back-to-back defeats and beat Joyce to catapult Filip back towards major titles?
Stats:
- Age: 32 years old
- Height: 6’ 6”
- Weight: Heavyweight
- Record: 17-1-0
Joyce vs Hrgovic betting tips
Fight fans have access to enough stats to make a strong prediction on the outcome of Joyce vs Hrgovic. Sportsbooks offer several markets, ensuring there’s a suitable bet on fight night for everyone, including those playing it safe by betting on the favourite. You can aim higher by predicting which round the fight will end.
Here are my three favourite bets ahead of Joyce vs Hrgovic in Manchester on Saturday.
Fight not to go the distance
My opening bet on Joyce vs Hrgovic is the fight not to last the distance. With this market, it doesn’t matter who wins or how they secure the result. As long as the bout ends before the final bell, your bet is a winner.
When researching the stats, I found these gladiators have a combined 29 knockout wins from less than 20 bouts each. Joyce has already stopped tough and big-name opponents, including Joe Parker, Christian Hammer, Carlos Takam, and Daniel Dubois. Hrgovic’s hit list includes Zhilei Zhang, and the Juggernaght would prove a welcome addition.
Bet on the fight to not go the distance at 1/2 with Tote
Hrgovic to win @ 29/100 (Tote)
For my second pick on the main event, I’m trusting Filip Hrgovic to live up to the hype and add an important win to his record. Victory in Manchester will show the Croatian has plenty more to come and has learned the lessons taught to him by Dubois.
Hrgovic is the younger and fresher fighter who knows a win would push him back into contention for major titles and money-spinning contracts. He’s in with an opponent who was beaten by Chisora last time despite starting as the favourite. The Brit’s form tells us the 39-year-old is past his best.
Bet on Hrgovic to win at 29/100 with Tote
Hrgovic by KO/TKO
My third and final pick on Joyce vs Hrgovic is on the away fighter to score a knockout win. The odds offered on another early night for El Animal are good enough to bet as a single, or you can add the pick to your weekend accumulators.
Styles make fights, and Joyce vs Hrgovic presents unique challenges for both fighters. But Hrgovic impressed when knocking out Zhang, who made light work of Joyce with back-to-back KO wins. Joyce is difficult to tag, but Hrgovic’s speed will help him close the distance and attack the sizable target, which is his opponent’s body. Back Hrgovic to win by KO/TKO or aim higher by going late in the group round betting market.
Bet on Hrgovic to win by KO/TKO at 4/5 with Tote
How to watch Joyce vs Hrgovic
- Location: Co-op Live Arena, Manchester
- Date and time: Sunday, 5th April 2025 at 22:00 GMT
- How to watch: DAZN
Joyce vs Hrgovic full card
- Joe Joyce vs Filip Hrgovic – Heavyweight
- Jack Rafferty vs Cory O’Regan – Super lightweight
- David Adeleye vs Jeamie Tshikeva – Heavyweight
- Juergen Uldedaj vs Gerardo Mellado – Cruiserweight
- Khaleel Majid vs Alex Murphy – Super lightweight
- Royston Barney-Smith vs Cesar Ignacio – Super featherweight
- Mark Chamberlain vs Miguel Angel Scaringi – Super lightweight
- Nelson Birchall vs Rodrigo Matias Areco – Featherweight
- Alfie Middlemiss vs Alexander Morales – Featherweight
- Delicious Orie vs Milos Veletic – Heavyweight
- Ramtin Musah vs Robbie Chapman – Super middleweight
- Louis Szeto vs Nabil Ahmed – Bantamweight
About the author
Frank Monkhouse
Frank is a former professional boxer at the renowned TKO Gym in London who has transitioned his career into sports betting writing. He has worked with some of the leading names in the industry, including world-renowned bookmakers and ambitious affiliates. A student of the formbook, he leans heavily on the stats and trends to help find readers the value.
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