In the immediate aftermath of his 10-round decision win over Joe Joyce on April 5, Filip Hrgovic's head coach Abel Sanchez said all things considered, it was a solid but unspectacular performance from the Croatian as he builds back to world title contention.

Thrust into the spotlight on short-notice, he had banished lingering bad feelings and thoughts after IBF champion Daniel Dubois inflicted his first career defeat 10 months prior, while admitting he needed one or two more marquee wins before staking his claim in an ever-changing heavyweight division where the major titles are sure to fragment again soon.

Two-and-a-half months removed from his Manchester main event, the 33-year-old (18-1, 14 KOs) will face his third consecutive Frank Warren-backed opponent in newly-minted British champion David Adeleye (14-1, 13 KOs) after they shared the card together at Co-Op Live.

Considering the contentious nature of Adeleye's domestic duel with former sparring partner Jeamie Tshikeva (8-2, 5 KOs) and that they'd been ordered into an immediate rematch, you can understand some eyebrows being raised when this matchup was unveiled last week.

Much of the post-fight talk surrounded speculation on whether The Ring's 2024 Prospect of the Year Moses Itauma would be thrust into a career-best challenge against Hrgovic.

After all, the 20-year-old needed less than a round to explosively dismantle Demsey McKean and the longtime world-level contender needed all but one minute of a 12-round contest to overwhelm a bullish Australian southpaw with nothing to lose 16 months earlier.

Hrgovic cautioned Itauma's handlers against rushing him and at the time, Sanchez similarly told The Ring: "I'm fine for him [Hrgovic] to face anyone but some of the younger guys have to earn that, not only the shot but warrior status that Joe, Dillian Whyte, Derek Chisora, Filip all have - they've proved themselves - there's still a way to go for the others."

Yet boxing math isn't that simplistic and while Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) returned with a second-round stoppage win over America's Mike Balogun in Glasgow last month, matchmaking is steadily increasing as the clamour to see him truly tested has heightened.

Recently inserted as the WBO's No. 1 contender, Itauma will headline a show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on August 16 against the aforementioned Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs), 17 years his senior and slated to box Joyce before withdrawing with a gruesome finger injury.

Many believe it's another showcase opportunity for the Ben Davison-trained youngster, given Whyte's inactivity and increased physical decline in recent years. Sanchez agrees.

"It's a fight to show the world he's ready for the elite level," Sanchez told The Ring.

"Dillian is a warrior who has been around a while and done well, but I think this will be a last fight for him and the crowning of a new heavyweight star. Either that, or the fight will show Moses and his team they still have a way to go, if he wins convincingly, we'll see the rising star everyone has been excited about."

Itauma's gymmate Fabio Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) produced a thrilling 10th-round knockout victory over Justis Huni in his Ipswich hometown earlier this month and Sanchez laughed when asked about how that frenzied night encapsulates the heavyweight division's allure.

"It's not over until that last bell sounds, they're all hard punchers up there - no matter who they are - whether you have power or not, throw 250 pounds behind something and if it lands correctly, it'll be devastating. Fabio never gave up, Justis was winning every round but unfortunately, got careless and caught."

Adeleye, making his second appearance under new coach Adam Booth, looked rather ordinary and one-paced against Tshikeva after a fast finish of now-former English champion Solomon Dacres in December.

Many observers felt he hadn't won a round and was being outsmarted by the older man before landing the wicked left hook which signalled the beginning of a controversial end.

Six-year pro Adeleye has notched just under half the completed rounds (92-50) Hrgovic boasts and against lower-level opposition. Power is an equaliser that cannot be taken for granted, though Sanchez isn't convinced by what he has seen.

"I've watched him, he's a good ranked heavyweight. I've watched film, saw him against Wardley as well as his most recent fight, but is he good enough for the elite level? I don't think he is, we'll find out."

Adeleye, ranked No. 10 with the WBO, won the sanctioning body's European title and defended it once before Wardley inflicted his first career defeat later that year in Riyadh, October 2023.

Hrgovic, The Ring's No. 6-rated heavyweight, is currently No. 2 with the WBO and features in the top-six divisional rankings with the WBC/IBF too.