DAVID ADELEYE courageously climbed off the deck against heavyweight boogieman Filip Hrgovic but was beaten on points.
The fearless Ladbroke Road lad took on the 2016 Olympic bronze winner in Saudi and had to drag himself off the sand in round eight.
GettyFilip Hrgovic dropped David Adeleye on the way to a points win[/caption]
GettyHrgovic was badky cut from his right eye[/caption]
GettyHrgovic celebrates his thrilling win[/caption]
He threw the kitchen sink at the respected veteran but the three ringside judges scored the bout 98-91, 99-90 and 99-90.
The West Londoner made the brave decision to start fast, pinging orthodox jabs up at the 6ft 6in Croatian’s handsome and hard dome.
Hrgovic pushed him back with body attacks but when he popped out a limp jab, Adeleye landed the shot of the round, an overhand right, that should have banked the opener for him with the judges.
The only defeat on Hrgovic’s 18-1 career came last year when he battered Daniel Dubois for a few rounds before being stopped over gruesome cuts around both eyes.
And – by the second round – after dozens of decent straight jabs the right eye was ripped open again and leaking blood into his vision.
The bookies’ favourite remained dangerous, plodding toward Adeleye like Adams Family butler Lurch.
But the Brit was picking him off at range, sometimes on the backfoot, and slashing further at the oozing wounds.
Hrgovic kept ploughing into the pugilist with the Portobello Road tattoo but Adeleye grinned back at his best blows.
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One of the biggest fights of the year has arrived!
The highly-touted Moses Itauma faces the biggest test of his fledgling career as he steps into the ring with Dillian Whyte on Saturday night.
Itauma, 20, has great expectations on his shoulders – he has been compared to Mike Tyson and is expected by many to dominate boxing’s heavyweight division over the next decade.
But the Slovakian-born star – who sits at 12-0 (10KOs) is yet to face a test anywhere close to what Whyte can offer.
The Body Snatcher is now 37 and has not looked great in his last couple of fights, but the former world title challenger knows an upset win would catapult him right back to the top table.
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Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the fight…
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And just before the bell, when looking pinned into a neutral corner, the Englishman landed a beautiful left hook – punch of the night hitherto – and buzzed the bloodied giant.
Both men wasted time and energy in the fourth, Hrgovic hammering blows into Adeleye’s inked abs or high guard and the left hook replies missing by miles.
Hrgovic showed glimpses of his 2016 Olympic pedigree in the fifth but his body-attack strategy was baffling.
And before the sixth even started, both 17st hulks looked exhausted and started cuddling more than punching.
Hrgovic dominated a dull sixth, when Adeleye was running on fumes and looking increasingly vulnerable and ringside Derek Chisora yelled “you need a knockout, bro” before the seventh started.
Adeleye listened and started the session with some crisp scoring shots but it was short lived as his engine betrayed him again after around 30 seconds.
Adeleye was whacked by a massive right hand at the start of the eighth but he stuck his tongue out and roared in the silent little arena before getting dropped and taking a count.
Brilliantly he bounced back up to his white boots and then smashed Hrgovic around the ring until he nearly collapsed, but our boy could not score a revenge knockdown before the bell.
Hrgovic was cautious and clever in the final two sessions but Adeleye emptied the tank and came up just short in a joyride he can be proud of.
GettyAdeleye stucks his tongue out at Hrgovic[/caption]
GettyBut a right hand dropped Adeleye soon after[/caption]
GettyAdeleye bravely beat the count[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
