Joe Joyce loses heavyweight slugfest to Filip Hrgovic in Manchester return

Filip Hrgovic takes a unanimous decision (97-93, 96-95, 98-92) win over Joe Joyce in their 10-round heavyweight contest.

Joyce has had the better first half of the 10th. He is connecting with slow, straight punches on Hrgovic, who is seeking refuge on the ropes. Hrgovic connects with a right-hand, left-hook combination just before the final minute.

Right hands swarming in from Hrgovic just when Joyce needed a big finish.

10-9 Hrgovic, 97-93 Hrgovic

Left hand from Joyce pushes Hrgovic's head back. A combination from Hrgovic and Joyce looked unsteady for a second just before the end of the first minute. Left hook from Hrgovic followed by a hard right hand!

Hrgovic has come back to life in the final two rounds. More power punches on the inside from Hrgovic but Joyce comes right back with his own work. The cleaner punches have come from Hrgovic all night long, but Joyce is always there and always punching. Hrgovic seems to have hurt Joyce at the end of the ninth. Right hands are landing at will from the Croatian, but still Joyce will not wilt!

10-9 Hrgovic, 87-84 Hrgovic

It's slow and cumbersome from both men at this point in the fight! DAZN has Joyce up 67-66, Uncrowned has Hrgovic up by the same margin.

Chopping right hand from Hrgovic catches Joyce at the halfway point of the eighth. Overhand right from Joyce clubs Hrgovic and the Croatian might've been hurt there! The crowd are getting behind Joyce. Hrgovic again walks onto the ropes. They trade punches. Left hand from Hrgovic lands. HARD PUNCHES from Hrgovic at the end of the eighth, and it was much needed success after Joyce was having a good round.

10-9 Hrgovic, 77-75 Hrgovic

Right hand downstairs from Joyce, countered by a right hand from Hrgovic. Left hook from Joyce followed by a right hand. Hrgovic responds with his own right hand. Joyce is still bouncing on his feet, he has a far superior gas tank.

Joyce puts together a slow combination with Hrgovic retreating to the ropes. Left hand to the body from Joyce, but back comes Hrgovic with a right hand. Hrgovic finally gets off the ropes and into the center of the ring. Not for long though, as Joyce pushes him back again. More right hands from Hrgovic in the final minute of the seventh! Joyce walks forward and almost pushes Hrgovic with punches.

10-9 Joyce, 67-66 Hrgovic

Joyce starts round five pouring the pressure on Hrgovic, specifically targeting the body. But Hrgovic is landing with power punches with both hands. Joyce doesn't look affected and is winging in slow punches up close.

Hrgovic is almost choosing to stay amongst the ring ropes so he doesn't have to move, and use up his energy. Joyce is struggling to land a clean shot on him. Hrgovic continues to land with the backhand. Joyce puts his punches together at the end of the fifth.

10-9 Joyce, 49-46 Hrgovic

Left hook from Hrgovic skims Joyce in the first minute of the fourth. Right hand downstairs goes Joyce. Back to the body goes "The Juggernaut." Right hand from Hrgovic partially missed followed by a combination. Right hand and a left hook from Hrgovic connected upstairs. Joyce is still right in front of Hrgovic, though, his chin is still solid as ever. More right hands from Hrgovic, but Joyce pushes him onto the ropes.

10-9 Hrgovic, 40-36 Hrgovic

Joyce is pushing Hrgovic back with his left hand. Hrgovic looks tired already! Joyce hammers a right hand to the body followed by a clubbing combination. Hrgovic responds with a right hand.

POWERFUL right hand from Hrgovic but Joyce takes it well. Hrgovic's eye now looks bad with the blood pouring onto it from the earlier cut. Joyce has really upped the tempo in this the third round, Joyce lands with a right hand.

HEAVY right hand from Hrgovic in the final 20 seconds!

10-9 Hrgovic, 30-27 Hrgovic

Left hand downstairs from Hrgovic. Joyce is attempting some body work but his hands are too slow to land sharp. Clubbing right hand from Hrgovic after the one-minute mark in the second round.

Right hand again from Hrgovic. Joyce goes with a right hand as Hrgovic is on the ropes. Joyce blocks (finally) a three-punch combination from Hrgovic. Stiff jab from Joyce. It's a better second for Joyce, Hrgovic's face is bloodied already. Joyce is starting to get his own shots off. A pair of right hands from Hrgovic to end round two.

10-9 Hrgovic, 20-18 Hrgovic

Right hand from Hrgovic pushes Joyce's head back in the first 30 seconds of the opener. Joyce pawing out his left hand to Hrgovic's chin. Right hand again from Hrgovic and again before the final minute of the opener. It was similar in the Daniel Dubois fight but Hrgovic tired after three rounds and Dubois took over, Joyce will be hoping to do the same.

HARD 1-2 from Hrgovic connects after the halfway point in the first. Right hand and left hooks followed. Hrgovic cut above on the forehead but it's not in a terrible spot. Right hand goes Hrgovic, Joyce looks to fire back. Into the final 30 seconds of a lively opener, Joyce looks slow and defenseless.

10-9 Hrgovic

Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic, two veteran contenders coming off defeats, clash in a must-win fight to remain at world level in the heavyweight division.

Joyce (16-3, 15 KOs), a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, managed wins over Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker in a stellar run to start his professional career until Zhilei Zhang toppled him in back-to-back inside-the-distance defeats in 2023.

"The Juggernaut" rebounded with a late stoppage of Kash Ali in March 2024, but fell short again to Derek Chisora in the fight after in a significant upset. Joyce, 39, now enters into another high-stakes heavyweight clash with Hrgovic knowing he needs a win to keep his career at the top level alive.

Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs) announced himself to the boxing world with a decision win over the China's big-punching Zhang in August 2022. He was mandatory challenger for the IBF title but ultimately lost that position to Dubois, suffering his first career defeat on the Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5 vs. 5 card this past June.

DOWN GOES TKV FROM A LEFT HOOK! It was a short hook on the inside just after ten seconds in the sixth.

Flurry from Adeleye and DOWN AGAIN is TKV forty seconds into the sixth. TKV has turned his back, his legs are unsteady and it's all over, the referee won't let this one continue.

Adeleye TKO-6

Both men look tired in the fourth. Their punches are sluggish, and there's lots of holding. Adeleye is neglecting his jab, and just looking for power shots. TKV utilized his jab well in the third, but not as much in the fourth. Very little to split them in the fourth, and not much of note is landing either.

10-9 Adeleye, 38-38

The referee warns the pair for holding up close again. A pair of jabs from TKV land. Adeleye is just looking for big power shots and partially missing. The referee tells them to break, TKV turns his back, and Adelye hits him on his back.

The crowd is starting to roar in the boos, it's not been as entertaining as some would've expected so far! More jabs from TKV at long-range.

10-9 TKV, 29-28 TKV

Right hand on the inside from TKV in the final minute of the second. Not much clean landing here through two, Adeleye struggling to land his jab. Right hand from Adeleye clipped TKV. Stiff jab from TKV connects on Adeleye's chin. Left hook and a right hand gets through for Adeleye at the end of the second, TKV felt the power there.

10-9 Adeleye, 19-19

Left hands from Jeamie TKV early in the opener. He will be looking to establish that jab against a big puncher like Adeleye.

Lots of holding already in this one. It's a messy affair through the first half. Adeleye looking to counter TKV with a short left hook.

An accurate jab from TKV in the final few seconds of the first.

10-9 TKV

David Adeleye (13-1, 12 KOs) and Jeamie "TKV" Tshikeva (8-1, 5 KOs) collide for the vacant British heavyweight title that was recently relinquished by Fabio Wardley.

Fabio Wardley vs. Jarrell Miller for WBA interim heavyweight title confirmed for June

A right hand from Rafferty knocked the head back of O'Regan, blood is pouring out of the challenger's nose. Body work from Rafferty makes O'Regan lose his shape. Short hooks on the inside from Rafferty getting through. O'Regan is still in there, though. Left hand downstairs from Rafferty. O'Regan is wilting bit by bit from every body punch, but he is refusing to give up. Right hand to the body, followed by a right hand upstairs from Rafferty. Rafferty puts a flurry together and IT'S ALL OVER! Cory O'Regan's corner has thrown in the towel.

O'Regan looks very unsteady early in the fourth. Rafferty is going for the finish. Hooks to the body followed by right hands upstairs. Rafferty is going to work here. O'Regan will go out on his shield, as he opts to stand and trade with Rafferty.

Somehow, O'Regan looks to have recovered from the Rafferty onslaught. Rafferty is relentless in there, O'Regan is finding success with his own left hands but Rafferty isn't troubled by the power. BIG finish to the fourth from Rafferty, who hurt O'Regan again.

10-9 Rafferty, 38-37 Rafferty

A pair of left hands down the middle sink into Rafferty's chin. O'Regan's legs have served him well up to now, but Rafferty will be used to coming on strong in the later rounds.

Right hook from O'Regan and then he spins Rafferty. Rafferty finding some success in the third with his jab, a right hand landed there in the final minute for the champion.

HARD RIGHT HAND FROM RAFFERTY! Down goes O'Regan late in the third, he will be saved by the bell. But it was a huge combination from Rafferty after the knockdown. Will O'Regan be sent out for round 4?

10-8 Rafferty, 28-28

Right hand to the body from Rafferty. O'Regan finds a home for sharp straight punches in the first minute of the second. Right hand connected for Rafferty. Left hand from O'Regan had Rafferty off balance at the halfway point of round two.

O'Regan is doing a good job of controlling the pace and not letting it get too frenetic in there. O'Regan throws fast punches and quickly moves away. Body shot from Raffety, which is met by an O'Regan left hand.

Rafferty continues to attack the mid-section, but the better work in round two is coming from the challenger.

10-9 O'Regan, 20-18 O'Regan

Sharp southpaw work from O'Regan early in the opening round. It was another southpaw boxer, Henry Turner, who was comfortably outboxing Rafferty this past October through five rounds until Rafferty started to break him down in the mid-rounds and ultimately produced a stoppage.

Left hook from Rafferty just after the halfway point in the opener. Left hand downstairs from O'Regan in the final few seconds of the first. Good start for the challenger but there's a long way to go in this one.

10-9 O'Regan

Jack Rafferty (25-0, 16 KOs) defends his British and Commonwealth super lightweight titles against Cory O'Regan (14-0, 3 KOs) in a battle of undefeated fighters.

Delicious Orie wins a points decision (40-36) over Milos Veletic in his professional boxing debut.

Orie is doing the same thing over and over again through two rounds — a simple 1-2. Veletic has gotten used to it now and is leaning or stepping back in anticipation of the right hand. Orie hasn't made the adjustments yet.

20-18 Orie

2024 Team GB Olympian Delicious Orie makes his professional debut in the heavyweight division against Milos Veletic (3-7, 1 KO).

Khaleel Majid takes a razor-close unanimous decision (97-94, 96-94, 96-95) win over Alex Murphy in their ten-round super lightweight bout.

Clean right hands from Majid downstairs and then upstairs in the first minute of the final round. It's eye-catching work from him. Left hand downstairs from Majid.

Majid has put everything into this final round, knowing how crucial it could be. He is landing the cleaner punches in this the tenth.

Murphy, for the first time in the fight, has been pushed back at times in this round. Right hand goes Majid again, Murphy is definitely falling behind in this round. A cut opens up from Murphy. The crowd is emphatic, the pair will get a standing ovation. Fantastic action!

10-9 Majid, 96-94 Majid

1-2 from Majid at the beginning of the ninth. Murphy sticking out his jab followed by a short combination. A right hand from Murphy too. Left hand downstairs from Murphy. An uppercut from Murphy lifted Majid's head back. Tremendous work from both men!

Murphy seems to have more left in the tank in the ninth and is landing the cleaner work in the penultimate rounds. Majid dips with his head low at the end of an attack, leaving Murphy with an opening with the uppercut.

10-9 Murphy, 86-85 Majid

Majid swinging with the right-hand early doors in the eighth. He finds success with it on multiple occasions in the first minute.

Good inside work with Murphy, doubling up on the left hook. Murphy needs a big finish to have a chance of winning this fight on the scorecards.

Majid is slipping and countering on the inside. The quality work continues to come from Majid. Short uppercuts getting through for Murphy at the end of the eighth. He is outworking Murphy; it's volume vs quality.

10-9 Murphy, 77-75 Majid

They trade right hands at long-range early in the seventh. Majid perhaps had the best connect but Murphy landed with the greater volume.

Right-hand counter from Majid landed and he rolled out of range, denying Murphy the chance to land a countering punch.

Murphy now has Majid up close where he wants him and they are exchanging short punches at center ring. Right-hand from Majid was the best of the bunch. Murphy's defense is letting him down here, just like it did in some of the earlier rounds. Majid is being made to work for every success. HUGE right hand from Murphy at the end of the 7th.

WHAT A FIGHT!

10-9 Majid, 68-65 Majid

Murphy was told in the corner in between rounds to start increasing the tempo.

Combination from Murphy on the inside. Uppercut lifted Majid's chin up, with a short right hand following.

Majid connects with his own crisp right hand at the beginning of the second minute. Majid has gone back to fighting Murphy's fight on the inside.

They continue to trade up close. It's nip and tuck from both men. Murphy has managed to control the tempo of this round, and connected consistently with the short right-hand. The superior work rate is also coming from Murphy.

10-9 Murphy, 58-56 Majid

A right hand got through for Murphy early in the fifth. Majid is moving laterally along the ropes, while Murphy seems to be controlling the action now. The DAZN commentary would like to see Majid control the center of the ring instead of giving up ground like he is.

Double jab, right hand connected for Majid — his best work in a while. Right hand and a jab from Murphy, back comes Majid with his own backhand. Murphy skims Majid's chin with a right hand. Murphy is doing a good job of blocking, and sometimes taking, Majid's punches and staying at close range to get off his own work.

Better final minute of the fight for Majid, who landed sharp shots at the center of the ring.

10-9 Majid, 49-46 Majid

Majid was told in the corner by trainer Buddy McGirt in between rounds three and four to stop trading with Murphy and use his legs. Majid is a very good mover and pure boxer, but he isn't using those attributes tonight.

Majid is moving more early in the fourth. Majid tried again with the right hand, but Murphy blocked that one and fired back with his own backhand.

Majid does look the more fatigued one of the two. Murphy is managing to bully Majid around the ring. Majid was told to stop holding his feet, and he's done the complete reversal of what he was doing in the early rounds and is now dancing around the ring.

Good round for Murphy!

10-9 Murphy, 39-37 Majid

POWERFUL right-hand lands clean for Majid once again early in the third. Murphy just cannot get out of the way of that punch.

Murphy is starting to have some success on the inside with short hooks and shoveling punches. Murphy has to hope that he can take this fight into the second half and that his gas tank will prove superior.

It's been the best round of the fight for Murphy. They are trading on the inside non-stop. Majid isn't moving as much as some would've expected. Majid goes again with the right hand, but it didn't have the pop that earlier ones did.

Terrific contest through three rounds.

10-9 Majid, 30-27 Majid

Majid is the sharper of the two and getting the better of straight-punch exchanges at close quarters.

A clean right-hand gets through for Majid just before the two-minute mark. Majid has that bit of quality that is giving him the edge tonight. Down to the body goes Majid, Murphy gets through with his own short right hand. But Majid comes right back with a right hand that once again pushes Murphy's head back.

Left hand downstairs goes Majid with a right hand following a few seconds later. This fight is being fought at a frenetic pace, with the better work coming from Majid.

10-9 Majid, 20-18 Majid

It's a battle of the jabs early as Murphy looks to put pressure on Majid in their battle of right-handers.

Majid connects with a right hand on the inside just before the halfway point of the opener. Murphy's legs dipped there momentarily. Another right hand got through for Majid in an exchange, followed by an uppercut and a body shot from Majid.

Murphy is forcing the pace, but coming off second-best at this point in the fight. HARD RIGHT HAND gets through for Majid near the end of the opener.

10-9 Majid

Khaleel Majid (14-0, 4 KOs) takes on Alex Murphy (13-0) in a battle of unbeatens at super lightweight over ten rounds.

• Super lightweight: Khaleel Majid vs. Alex Murphy

• Heavyweight: Delicious Orie vs. Milos Veletic

• Super lightweight: Jack Rafferty vs. Cory O'Regan

• Heavyweight: David Adeleye vs. Jeamie "TKV" Tshikeva

• Heavyweight: Joe Joyce vs. Filip Hrgovic

After the main event, there will be one more fight: Juergen Uldedaj vs. Gerardo Mellado.