Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KOs) is ranked No. 4 by The Ring in the heavyweight division.

Hrgovic, 33, got his career back on track last year with back-to-back 10-round unanimous-decision wins against Joe Joyce and David Adeleye following an eighth-round stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois in June 2024.

“El Animal” Hrgovic, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist for Croatia, also handed Zhilei Zhang his first loss in August 2022.

“Allen is taking on a world-class operator in Filip Hrgovic, but he gets to do it on his own doorstep at Doncaster Rovers,” Queensberry head Frank Warren said in a statement.

“This will be a huge occasion for the city of Doncaster and for the fans who have backed Dave throughout his career. Filip has got into a habit of beating British heavyweights, so this really is a Dave vs Goliath battle.”

Allen (25-8-2, 20 KOs) has been fighting to mixed results in recent years, but the 34-year-old revived his standing in the division with a dramatic fifth-round stoppage of the previously unbeaten Johnny Fisher in a May rematch. With the career-best win, Allen avenged a controversial split-decision loss to Fisher from December 2024.

After stopping Fisher, “The White Rhino” Allen fought to a 12-round unanimous decision defeat to Arslanbek Makhmudov in October, and he's since returned to the win column by blasting Karim Berredjem in one round last month.

Allen is no stranger to fighting world-class contenders, but it’s come in losing efforts against Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, Frazer Clarke, Tony Yoka and David Price throughout a 14-year career.

“This is everything I’ve wanted,” Allen said in a statement. “A big fight, at home, in front of my own people. Nights like this don’t come around often, and I’m not letting it pass me by. I know how tough Hrgovic is, but I believe in myself and I’ll be ready to give Doncaster a night to remember.”

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan