CO-OP LIVE ARENA, MANCHESTER -- Filip Hrgovic said that Joe Joyce should retire, as punches are not vitamins. This was a wince-inducing display on a painful night for the former WBO interim world heavyweight champion, who couldn't avoid the right hand and try as he might against a Croatian cut over his left eye, the end was grim.

This main event matchup capped the televised portion of Queensberry's DAZN streaming debut.

97-93, 96-95, 98-92 were the scorecards for Hrgovic (18-1, 14 KOs) to win the WBO International heavyweight championship, last held by Martin Bakole.

"Joe is like steel. Abel [Sanchez, his new coach] is a great man, from the first time I saw him, we felt a connection and had a great time together, he's a great coach and he didn't have a heavyweight champion in his Hall of Fame career yet, I want to fulfil that dream for him and myself," Hrgovic said in the ring post-fight.

He also called for a rematch with IBF heavyweight titleholder Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs), before Joyce tried to embrace humour replying "are you not entertained?" when asked about whether he'd consider retirement after four defeats in his last five.

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren said he wants the latter to have a long hard think before deciding what's next, though described him as a "great servant" for British boxing at a time where the division continues to intensify among the elite.

Juggernaut 2.0 was the tagline for a returning Joyce (16-4, 15 KOs), nine months after being dropped and outfoxed by Derek Chisora in another headline opportunity.

Reunited with strength-and-conditioning coach Cameron Goff, as well as boxing trainer Steve Broughton and Cuban athletics guru Juan Hernandez Pineda, all the signs were positive for a defiant 39-year-old contender keen to make up for lost time and diminished leverage in an ever-changing glamour division.

"I want to get to the top of the mountain and this time, get the gold at the end of the rainbow. It's never too late. You're only as good as your last win and can quickly move back to the top, that's what I plan to do," he told The Star this week.

Yet wanting to do something, and being physically capable are two very different things. Hrgovic, here on three weeks' notice, kept chipping away at Joyce's resolve with right hands and the home favourite's unsteady legs were there for all to see.

The Manchester crowd did all they could to encourage Joyce into increased activity, with Hrgovic unafraid to back up and there were some lull periods for the older man to capitalise upon. Deep in the third, a back-and-forth sequence suited Joyce.

Well, it did up until he ate two right hands flush. The Croatian admitted surprise by the Juggernaut's jab and speed flashing back in his face when both were amateurs 12 years ago and again, didn't seem equipped to move laterally away from danger.

Instead he welcomed it, almost like the Joyce of old did with unerring confidence, knowing his chin would protect him if all else failed. As time wore on and they entered the fifth, Hrgovic's rope-a-dope tactics typified the comfort he boxed with.

Beckoning Joyce forward, wanting him to walk onto a howitzer, the right was never far away as the Olympic silver medallist responded by stabbing to the body.

In the sixth, Hrgovic's corner and their codewords were becoming increasingly easy to decipher. 929 might as well have been a right-left-right combo, as he chopped and continued probing but Joyce - whose left eye was swelling - kept wading into the fire, rather than utilising his jab and intelligently defend Hrgovic's big weapon.

Joyce would throw three, land one and eat two in response as their exhausting exchanges continued, Hrgovic ending the seventh with a succession of rights as one Joyce fan ringside couldn't bare to see those shots bounce off him with ease.

He had a better eighth, still stalking the Croatian and landing a clubbing shot around the ear as referee Howard Foster lingered rather than stepping in to separate them as they jostled for position. Hrgovic, almost on cue, responded to that success by finishing the stanza strong and Joyce looked dazed as he trudged over to his corner.

Hrgovic's hands had lowered by this stage and the 32-year-old let fly with more rights, then a three-punch combo as Joyce lunged into a haymaker. A body, then head combo had Joyce pinned up against the ropes momentarily, then somehow he stayed upright after absorbing - you guessed it - another big right hand.

Every time Joyce had a spot of success in the final stanza, Hrgovic replied with even cleaner work and backpedalled into the corner, clearly tired but conserving energy.

By the final bell, the result wasn't in doubt. Joyce's future at the top of a sport he's immersed himself in since his teenage years though, certainly is.

Cruiserweight float: Juergen Uldelaj UD10 (99-91, 100-90, 97-94) Gerardo Mellado

Heavyweight main event: Filip Hrgovic UD10 (97-93, 96-95, 98-92) Joe Joyce

Heavy: David Adeleye TKO6 (0:55) Jeamie Tshikeva

Junior-welterweight: Jack Rafferty TKO5 (2:26) Cory O'Regan

Heavyweight: Delicious Orie UD4 (40-36) Milos Veletic

Junior-welter: Khaleel Majid UD10 (97-94, 96-94, 96-95) Alex Murphy

Super-featherweight: Royston Barney-Smith UD8 (80-72) Cesar Ignacio Paredes

Junior-welter: Mark Chamberlain UD8 (80-72) Miguel Angel Scaringi

Featherweight: Nelson Birchall KO1 (1:31) Rodrigo Matias Areco

Super-middleweight: Ramtin Musah UD4 (40-36) Robbie Chapman

Super-bantamweight: Louis Szeto UD4 (38-37) Nabil Ahmed

Feather: Alfie Middlemiss UD4 (40-37) Alexander Morales