Hamed: Itauma 'a million times better' than Fury and Joshua ahead of IBF final at O2
Prince Naseem Hamed said Moses Itauma is "a million times better" than Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury and predicted the 21-year-old will become Britain's second-youngest world champion if he beats Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF heavyweight title at London's O2 Arena on Saturday. Itauma is unbeaten in 14 professional fights and the bout is scheduled for this weekend.
Itauma, a Chatham fighter widely touted as an heir to the heavyweight throne, faces 34-year-old Hrgovic for the vacant IBF belt at the O2 Arena. Joshua and Fury, the other leading British heavyweights, have agreed to meet later this year in an all-British showdown. The BBC report carried Hamed's strong endorsement of Itauma ahead of the title contest.
Hamed told BBC Sport: "Moses is on another level to the likes of Tyson Fury and Tyson would say that himself. Tyson would not want to fight Moses and neither would Joshua. If they did I would say they are very brave." He also described Itauma as "a million times better" than those two fighters.
On age and records, the article notes that Itauma would become Britain's second-youngest world champion if he defeats Hrgovic, placing him behind Hamed on that domestic list. The piece also records that a victory would make Itauma the second-youngest heavyweight world champion in history, behind only Mike Tyson.
Hrgovic's credentials were set out in the report: the 34-year-old is an Olympic bronze medallist who has lost only once in 21 professional fights, that defeat coming to Daniel Dubois in 2024, and Hrgovic is described as the underdog despite a superior record. The story contrasts those figures with Itauma's unbeaten 14-fight record.
Hamed reflected on the contributions of Fury and Joshua while reiterating his view of Itauma, saying: "I think Tyson Fury was amazing for British boxing and what he achieved, what he did and brought to the game and how colourful he was as a personality. I think Joshua did an amazing job early in his career to win a world title and be an ambassador for British boxing. [But] I can't compare Moses. He is a million times better than them."
Describing Itauma's development and certainty about his future, Hamed said: "Winning a national title as an amateur aged 11 and then having in your head all the way through your amateur career that you'll be world champion at 21 - I visualised that. I think it's very much the same for Moses," and added, "I'm so confident that Moses is going to be the heavyweight champion of the world. I'm so confident that he'll defend that belt for as long as he wants."
Hamed did not expect Hrgovic to provide a particularly difficult night for Itauma, telling BBC Sport: "On paper it's a test but I don't think the night that we watch it it will be a test. I think it's going to be one of Moses' easiest nights of his career and he'll win a world title." A win on Saturday would also see Itauma claim a world title one fight sooner than Anthony Joshua achieved when Joshua won his maiden world title in his 16th professional bout.