HOLLYWOOD, Fla.—Filip Hrgovic found a way to do something no other heavyweight before him was able to accomplish.

The unbeaten rising contender picked up his second win of 2020, turning away Detroit’s Rydell Booker inside of five rounds Saturday evening at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Hrgovic was in complete control, though perhaps deliberate in his start in aiming to pace himself against the sturdy chinned Booker. The 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist from Zagreb, Croatia—who now trains out of Pedro Diaz’s gym in nearby Miami—worked his jab as Booker spent most of the opening round fighting in reverse, though never completely out of punching range. The Detroit native landed an occasional right hand, though none having any effect on the unbeaten 6’6” heavyweight.

The first knockdown of the contest came late in round two. Booker was under siege before being sent to the canvas in a heap, though beating the count and bravely continuing with the fight. Hrgovic didn’t waste any punches, remaining calm and steadily break down Booker punch-by-punch.

Booker looked worse for the wear in round four, remaining on his feet though his body language suggested a broken fighter. Hrgovic came dangerously close to ending matters, his level of dominance not at all lost on referee Samuel Burgos who warned Booker in between rounds to find a way to turn things around.

That moment never came, as Hrgovic saw the finish line and closed the slow. A steady stream of power punches forced the referee to intervene early in round five.

Booker falls to 26-4 (13KOs) with the loss, coming 52 weeks after going 10 rounds with current heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev last November, Hrgovic advances to 12-0 (10KOs), picking up his second win in six weeks. The hulking heavyweight scored a 2nd round knockout in late September, and his handlers at Team Sauerland are angling for a third fight before the end of the year.

The bout served as the chief support to Las Vegas’ Devin Haney (24-0, 15KOs) in a lightweight title defense versus 2004 Olympic Gold medalist and former featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-3, 18KOs).

Devin Haney prepares to make a splash in a vibrant lightweight division, as his appearance comes as part of an active stretch for all of the top players at 135 pounds.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox