The process to secure an opponent for Filip Hrgovic is creeping closer to the one heavyweight on record who is willing to accept the assignment. BoxingScene.com has learned that former titlists Murat Gassiev and Andy Ruiz Jr. are the latest to decline an invitation to enter talks for an IBF title eliminator with Croatia's Hrgovic. Gassiev and Ruiz were required to inform the New Jersey-based sanctioning body by January 21 as to whether they were available to pursue such a fight, though both cited injury rehabilitation as the cause for their lack of availability. The IBF has yet to confirm the removal of Gassiev and Ruiz Jr. from the process or whether a similar approach will be taken of contacting two heavyweights at a time. The latter would mean that Australia's Demsey McKean (20-0, 13KOs) and China's Zhilei Zhang (21-0-1, 13KOs) are on deck.
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