Arena Zagreb targeted for Filip Hrgovic’s first IBF heavyweight title defence

Filip Hrgovic’s first defence of the IBF heavyweight title is being targeted for Arena Zagreb in early 2027, with mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez expected to face him.

Frank Warren said Queensberry Promotions is working with the Croatian government on plans to stage the fight in Hrgovic’s home city. Neither the bout nor the venue has been formally announced, but the indoor arena is the leading option for a winter homecoming.

“We’re working hard to do that in Croatia, to give him his dream,” Warren told The Ring. “He deserves it. A world heavyweight title fight in Croatia would be a first, and I'm sure the whole nation would turn out for the hero.”

Warren added: “I’m quietly confident it will happen. We like to get things done before we make an announcement, but we’re quietly confident that we’ll deliver. We always deliver.”

Hrgovic became Croatia’s first world heavyweight champion when he stopped Moses Itauma in the ninth round at London’s O2 Arena on August 29. Itauma dropped him in the second round and built an early lead with his speed, but tired after pushing for the stoppage and was halted late.

The IBF title had become vacant after Oleksandr Usyk relinquished it in June, with Sanchez accepting a step-aside agreement that allowed Hrgovic and Itauma to fight for the belt.

Sanchez entitled to first challenge

Sanchez earned his mandatory position by knocking out previously unbeaten Richard Torrez Jr in the second round of their IBF final eliminator in May. His subsequent agreement guaranteed him an opportunity against the winner of Hrgovic–Itauma.

The victory over Torrez revived the Cuban’s title ambitions following his seventh-round stoppage defeat to Agit Kabayel in May 2024.

Hrgovic has expressed interest in a unification fight with Kabayel, now the WBC champion, but Warren has previously made clear that facing Sanchez is a contractual obligation. Any alternative would require further discussions with the challenger’s team.

For Hrgovic, the proposed homecoming would also mark another step in his recovery from his only professional defeat, an eighth-round stoppage on cuts against Daniel Dubois in June 2024.

Hrgovic favours indoor Zagreb return

Hrgovic (21-1, 16 KOs) has not fought in Croatia since making two appearances there in 2018. He stopped Amir Mansour at Arena Zagreb that September, then outpointed Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson over eight rounds at KC Drazen Petrovic three months later.

The 34-year-old had already identified Arena Zagreb as the practical venue for a winter return.

Discussing the possibility in September, Hrgovic said: “If it will be the next fight, it will be winter, so a stadium is not an option. We only have one venue which is similar to the 02 in terms of capacity. It is in Zagreb. It will be that option in the winter, end of the year or early next year.”

Croatia has never staged a world heavyweight title fight, although Zagreb hosted Ivana Habazin’s unanimous-decision victory over Kinga Magyar for the vacant WBC welterweight title in April 2024.

A return to Arena Zagreb would give Hrgovic the chance to make his first defence at home more than eight years after his last Croatian appearance, with Sanchez waiting to exercise the title opportunity secured by his step-aside agreement.