Filip Hrgovic produced one of the shocks of the boxing year, stopping an exhausted Moses Itauma in the ninth round at The O2 to win the vacant IBF heavyweight title and become Croatia’s first world heavyweight champion, Sky Sports reports.
In 15 fights, Itauma now has 14 wins (12 knockouts) and one defeat, following his defeat to Hrgovic.
How Itauma Suffered First Defeat
The 21-year-old, unbeaten coming into the fight and one of the sport’s most talked about young talents, had started like a man intent on an early night and for six rounds barely lost a minute.
It looked like Itauma’s bid to become Britain’s second-youngest world champion was on course for success after a right hook to the temple rocked Hrgovic inside the opening minute, followed by a second-round left hook that forced his 34-year-old Croatian opponent to steady himself with a glove on the canvas.
The 21-year-old had won every round heading into the second half of the fight but that wasn’t telling the full story.
Everything Itauma landed, including a fifth-round left uppercut detonated flush on the point of the chin, was absorbed by a man who had been in the deep waters before, and the effort of trying to move the immovable was draining the younger man with every round he banked.
The seventh round took Itauma beyond six rounds for the first time in his career, and the eighth broke him. Sensing his chance, he emptied the tank in a sustained assault, but Hrgovic stood firm and absorbed the punishment, leaving the young challenger almost completely spent.
Within a minute of the ninth Itauma was out on his feet, unable to hold himself steady as Hrgovic came forward, and his corner threw the towel with their man defenceless. He was attended by medical staff in his corner afterwards having given everything he had.
Background
Itauma was born in Slovakia in the town of Kežmarok to a Nigerian father and Slovak mother.
He and his family experienced racism in Slovakia stating, “Me and my brothers got racially abused. It wasn’t a good place to be.”
Finally, the family decided to migrate to England, firstly to leave the racist environment they were in and secondly to search for new opportunities which Slovakia did not provide. He was three years old when he moved to Chatham, Kent.
Amateur Career
He had an unbeaten amateur career, turning professional with a record of 24 wins with 11 wins by knockout. He claimed gold medals in Schools, Juniors, Youth European and the Heavyweight Youth World Gold Medal.
Professional Career
On 28 January 2023, Itauma made his debut on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Anthony Yarde on 28 January 2023, at the Wembley Arena.
He beat Marcel Bode in his debut via knockout after just 23 seconds and won the vacant WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title with a second-round stoppage victory against Germany’s Ilja Mezencev on the undercard of the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bill in Saudi Arabia on 18 May 2024.
He retained his title with another second-round stoppage win, this time over Polish boxer Mariusz Wach at The O2 Arena, London, on 27 July 2024.
In his next bout, he stopped Demsey McKean in the first round on 21 December 2024, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the undercard for the heavyweight world title rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
He was voted The Ring magazine Prospect of the Year for 2024.
