Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic has said British-Nigerian, Moses Itauma, need more experience if he hopes to become successful in heavyweight boxing.
On Saturday night at the O2 Arena, Itauma was given an education, as he ran out of gas and the experience of Hrgovic carried the 34-year-old Croatian to the vacant IBF heavyweight title.
The referee waved off the fight as Itauma’s corner threw in the towel in the ninth round.
But for long spells, the 21-year-old was the quicker, sharper and more assured fighter, repeatedly finding Hrgovic with the left hand and showing exactly why so many inside boxing believe he has the tools to reach the very top.
Yet what made the contest so compelling was the growing sense that, even while Itauma was winning rounds, he was drifting closer to defeat.
“Let me ask my young friend something, is a chin important? Chin is important,” Hrgovic was quoted by Sky Sports after the fight.
“He’s an amazing fighter – I want to thank him. To give me a chance to become a new superstar in the heavyweight division. I am the present. He is definitely the future.
“He is the best I have been in the ring with, but he needs more experience. I knew I was losing the round, but I knew that I had the pace in my favour. He needs more experience, but he is one of a kind.
“From the first round, I saw him gassing out. He started fast, I knew he was going to gas out. I knew when my chance came, I needed to push. That is what I did.”
For Hrgovic, it was the defining win of a long career, as his toughness and experience in boxing’s hardest rooms were rewarded on a night when almost every scoring shot went against him.
The victory also reshapes the heavyweight title picture, with the IBF belt now in Croatian hands.
