The previously ordered Filip Hrgovic-Andy Ruiz interim title fight will now head to a purse bid.
Unless, of course, the IBF reviews its own rules and reverses course.
BoxingScene.com has confirmed that the 30-day period assigned to the Hrgovic-Ruiz interim IBF heavyweight title fight has concluded without the two sides reaching a deal. The sanctioning body notified all registered promoters that the ordered contest is now the subject of a February 28 purse bid hearing.
“On January 11, 2023, the IBF ordered Filip Hrgovic and Andy Ruiz to begin negotiations for the IBF Heavyweight Interim Championship Title,” IBF president Daryl People stated in an official letter, a copy of which was obtained by BoxingScene.com. “An agreement could not be reached and on February 13, 2013, Mr. Nisse Sauerland, representing Filip Hrgovic, requested an immediate purse bid.”
Hrgovic is co-promoted by Wasserman Boxing and Matchroom Boxing, while Ruiz is represented by TGB Promotions—the primary promotional outfit under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) umbrella.
The notice states that all interested participants must submit bids by no later than 15 minutes prior to the hearing which is scheduled for February 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET. The bid must be accompanied by a $5,000 nonrefundable participation fee. The winning bidder must also submit a ten-percent deposit of the total amount at the time of the hearing, followed by another ten percent within five business days of the purse bid procedure.
There exists a glaring issue, however.
IBF Rule 16.B covering contestants for interim title fights states that “[if] an interim bout cannot be negotiated, no purse offer will be held. The contestants must agree on the terms of the bout. The winner of the interim title will become the mandatory challenger for the Champion.”
The language of the ruling clearly indicates that such ordered contests end either with a deal reached for an interim title fight, or simply dissolve in the absence of an agreement between proposed contestants. The conflict is further illustrated by the absence of a defined purse split for the ordered hearing, in the letter submitted to all IBF-registered promoters.
Croatia’s Hrgovic (15-0, 12KOs) is already the IBF mandatory challenger to unified WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight titlist Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13KOs).
The 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist advanced to the top contender slot following an off-the-canvas, split decision win over China’s Zhilei Zhang (21-1-1, 13KOs) last August 20 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The bout took place on the undercard of Usyk’s repeat win over England’s Anthony Joshua (24-3, 22KOs) to defend the unified titles he claimed from the two-time champ in their first meeting in September 2021 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London.
Hrgovic has been eager to take a stay-busy fight while Usyk was approved to pursue an undisputed championship versus lineal/WBC heavyweight king Tyson Fury (33-0-1, 24KOs). He was initially named
initially ordered a mandatory title fight between Usyk and Hrgovic last November 12, with Hrgovic’s side demanding an immediate purse bid hearing. The IBF initially ordered a mandatory title fight between Usyk and Hrgovic last November 12, with Hrgovic’s side demanding an immediate purse bid hearing. The matter was tabled until earlier this month, when the IBF offered a mea culpa in acknowledging that the WBA was next in the rotation of mandatory challengers.
Another reversal could come of this development, should the IBF adhere to its own rules.
Ruiz (35-2, 22KOs) has fought just twice since his own win over Joshua to briefly serve as WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champ. The Mexican heavyweight shocked the world, recovering from a knockdown to score four of his own in an historic June 2019 seventh-round knockout of Joshua at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Their December 2019 rematch saw an out-of-shape Ruiz lose the belts to Joshua via unanimous decision.
A pair of decision wins were since claimed by Ruiz, outpointing Chris Arreola in May 2021 and Luis Ortiz last September 4, both in the greater Los Angeles area.
Ruiz survived an early flash knockdown to soundly outpoint Arreola atop a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. A 16-month, injury-induced ring absence ended with his Fox Sports PPV-headlined win over Ortiz, with the two trading knockdowns in his decision victory from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The win over Ruiz came in a sanctioned WBC semifinal title eliminator, as part of a four-man box-off. The other side of the bracket saw former WBC champ Deontay Wilder knock out Robert Helenius inside of one round last October 15 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
With that, Ruiz has the option of pursuing the WBC title—the only heavyweight belt he has yet to win—in lieu of an interim IBF title fight versus Hrgovic. The WBC approved a Wilder-Ruiz final eliminator during its annual convention last November in Acapulco, Mexico.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox