Filip Hrgovic has been sending messages to the heavyweight division. In fact, some experts consider this Croatian to be one of the future champions of the division if his accelerated growth continues, thanks to a combination of talent and charisma.

Hrgovic, 27-years-old, will appear this Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel and Hollywood Casino when he faces Rydell Booker as part of the undercard for the fight between Yuriorkis Gamboa and Devin Haney.

The Croatian will climb into the ring with head trainer Pedro Diaz after a long preparation camp in Miami, where sparring sessions were held and the conditions were prepared for this November 7th.

Hrgovic's progression has surprised many since he started amateur boxing in 2005 and became the first Croatian-born European champion.

He was defeated at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro by the eventual champion of the event, Frenchman Tony Yoka, but his bronze medal would serve as a cover letter. Twice he has fought in his homeland to a full stadium and is considered one of Croatia's most renowned athletes, along with the national football team, which is no small thing.

"My camps [in Florida] are always good.... hard training with Professor Pedro Díaz. Lots of discipline. Everything is perfect. Just waiting for the time for the fight to come," Hrgovic told George Ebro.

"I hope to win all the fights and hopefully my chance will come to fight for a world title. That's my goal, to become Croatia's first boxer to become a heavyweight world champion. I'm the best. I'm going to be the new champion, for sure. I have a tactic for each of [the big] names you mention and we're working hard to beat them all.'

"In [Booker's] last fight, my opponent now went the distance against Kubrat Pulev. Now, Pulev's going to take on Anthony Joshua, so I want to knock him out. I want to make a statement to the whole division with a knockout win.

"I think Pedro is very good for me, for my development. I think we both have the same mindset. We're both warriors who like to win, we like hard work. We are very disciplined in this sport. We fit in very well with each other.''