Filip Hrgovic Claims Newest Knockout Victory Over Emir Ahmatovic
In his second fight of the year, Croatian heavyweight boxer Filip “El Animal” Hrgovic (14-0, 12 KO’s) won in dramatic fashion. To do so, Hrgovic knocked out his Serbian adversary Emir “Atomic” Ahmatovic (10-1, 7 KO’s) in the third round. The bout stood as Ahmatovic’s American debut and only the third fight outside of his adopted Germany. With victory, Hrgovic, who is ranked #3 (IBF), #9 (WBC), #12 (WBA) and #12 (WBO), also picked up the IBF international heavyweight title.
While he clearly has his talent and upside, to this point El Animal has generally feasted on second tier opposition or worse. Yet, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist has fought with such recognizable names as Amir Mansour, Kevin Johnson and Eric Molinla. As his star continues to rise we shall see if Hrgovic can successfully step up his level of competition.
It should be mentioned that El Animal has already begun calling for bigger fights. In fact, he was slated to face talented heavyweight Michael Hunter in an IBF title eliminator. The fight fell apart when Hunter walked away.
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Right out the gate, Ahmatovic went straight at Hrgovic to show he was not intimidated by him or the moment. He even found good success rushing El Animal behind his jab, feints and a fairly reliable left hook. To his credit, Hrgovic was the aggressor who constantly came forward and landed an impressive sum of stiff, straight right hands on the side of Atomic’s head. Ahmatovic was displaying a troubling habit of leaving his head and chin hanging in the air.
This would be a flaw that Hrgovic would use to floor Atomic two times in the second round. While neither occasion was all that dramatic, it was clear that the Croatian was swiftly breaking down. The first knockdown came by way of a right hook then looping right hand.
The end officially came in the third period when El Animal sent Atomic to his knee in the third. In all honesty, no solid punch even landed in the final flurry that ended the fight. Despite this fact, referee Allen Huggins called off the contest. Ahmatovic offered zero protest. Let’s see if Hrgovic resumes his pursuit of Michael Hunter.
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By: Bakari Simpson
