Former WBC world heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder, is all set to make his comeback to the sport in 2021. The American has announced his desire to get back in the ring, but is yet to find an opponent.

Prior to his loss at the hands of Tyson Fury, Wilder had dominated the heavyweight scene for a long time. During this time, he has sparred with some of the biggest names in the sport. So ahead of his return to the ring, let’s look back at the time he sparred current heavyweight prospect, Filip Hrgovic.

SkySports Boxing shared the video on their Twitter from back in 2013. Hrgovic was not a professional boxer at the time, while Wilder was not the WBC world champion. However, the intense sparring rounds between them showed what the future held for both fighters.

Watching the video, some can make a case that Hrgovic got the better of the two rounds. However, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ landed a bunch of his trademark power-punches. Needless to say, the sparring session did both fighters some good.

Wilder won the WBC heavyweight title; Hrgovic won the Bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games and turned professional later.

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Will Filip Hrgovic and Deontay Wilder meet in the ring?

Wilder is without an opponent for a comeback fight, while Hrgovic is coming off an impressive stoppage of Rydell Booker. So, does this mean they could face each other in the professional scene?

The Croatian made a big statement after his victory over Booker. Given his display, he is sure to target some of the division’s biggest names for his next outing. He sits at #9 on the WBC, #12 on the WBO, and #13 on the WBA rankings, and is just a few wins away from the title fights. 

Rumors suggest Wilder will take on former champion Charles Martin in his comeback fight. However, given that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ needs to make a big statement, a fight against Hrgovic would go a long way in helping him meet his goal.

Despite it being a good match-up on paper, it is unlikely that the pair will meet next. However, if Hrgovic continues his upward rise, we may see him in the ring with ‘The Bronze Bomber’ sooner rather than later.

What did you make of this sparring footage? Do you think Filip Hrgovic vs. Deontay Wilder would make a good fight?

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