Hrgovic outguns Adeleye in a heavyweight firefight – World Boxing Association

Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KOs) scored a unanimous decision win over Britain’s David Adeleye (14-2, 13 KOs) in a bruising, high-octane battle on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at the Riyadh Arena in Saudi Arabia. The scorecards told the story—99-90, 99-90 and 98-91—all in favor of Hrgovic, who claimed the WBA Gold heavyweight title and reaffirmed his standing as a world-level contender.

From the opening bell, both men came out looking to impose themselves. Hrgovic, the more seasoned fighter on the big stage, established his jab early and landed straight shots that set the tone. Adeleye, explosive but less accurate, looked to close the distance with bursts of aggression and constant pressure.

The fight reached its boiling point in the eighth round, when Hrgovic floored Adeleye with a crushing right cross that left the Brit badly shaken. But Adeleye showed his grit—beating the count and storming back with a furious rally, landing nine clean shots upstairs that had the Croatian favorite wobbling. Hrgovic, clearly fatigued, was forced to hold and throw arm punches to survive the frame. It was a dramatic swing that proved Adeleye, even in defeat, has the tools to trouble the division’s elite.

In the championship rounds, Hrgovic steadied himself, managing his gas tank and boxing with poise to close the show. Afterward, he praised Adeleye’s toughness, admitting the Brit landed heavier shots than some of his past opponents, including Daniel Dubois and Zhilei Zhang.

For Hrgovic, the win is a key step back toward a world title shot, as he continues to build momentum after setbacks. Adeleye, meanwhile, may have come up short, but his resilience and flashes of brilliance mark him as one of the heavyweight names to watch on the British scene.