Itauma to meet Hrgovic for vacant IBF heavyweight title at O2 Arena on Saturday
Moses Itauma will face Filip Hrgovic at London's O2 Arena on Saturday for the vacant IBF heavyweight title, with Britain potentially gaining a new world champion if the 21-year-old wins. A victory for Itauma would make him the youngest heavyweight world champion since Mike Tyson in 1986.
Itauma arrives unbeaten in 14 professional fights, 12 of those wins coming by stoppage; Hrgovic is a 34-year-old former Olympic bronze medallist with a record of 20 wins and one defeat, including 15 victories inside the distance. The bout has been described in coverage as a significant step up for the Chatham fighter and attracted predictions from figures within the sport.
Figures from the boxing world spoke to BBC Sport and offered a range of views about the matchup. "Hrgovic right now is possibly the best fighter for him to face. On paper it's a test but I don't think it will be a test. I don't think Moses will be under any form of pressure in a fight like this. I think it's going to be one of Moses' easiest nights of his career and he'll win a world title," one contributor said.
Other voices singled out Hrgovic's toughness while still favouring Itauma. "I do have Itauma as the favourite. He is no doubt a better fighter but still unproven over the long distance. And think people are maybe just forgetting just how tough Hrgovic is and how good he is at taking a shot. I can see Itauma blowing him away early because he's so accurate but I can also see Hrgovic riding the storm and it becoming a more difficult fight in the second half for Itauma. But I still see Moses coming out on top. Hrgovic cuts a lot and I can see this being stopped on cuts because Itauma will hit him so often," another commentator said.
Several pundits predicted a concise outcome for Itauma rather than a drawn-out contest. "It's a really good fight. It's a test that Itauma has been needing for a while. Stylistically, it's very interesting. I think this fight will be really hard or really easy. I don't see a middle ground where Itauma will cruise and will look great doing it. I think he either gets rid of him inside three rounds or this is the acid test we've all been waiting for. Hrgovic is brave and tough but he stands up tall and is quite easy to hit. Itauma has got the whole package. He's in and out of range, he's sharp. He's got the footwork and speed of a cruiserweight and the power of a heavyweight. So I'll go with Itauma inside three rounds," one assessment read.
Other contributors envisaged a later stoppage and noted stylistic and conditioning factors. "I've said for a while that I'd back Moses againt any heavyweight on the planet, other than Oleksandr Usyk. Going by Usyk's last performance against Rico Verhoeven, I'd probably back Moses against him too. Hrgovic is technically good and will ask Itauma a few more questions than previous opponents. But ultimately, I think the speed and timing of Moses will be the difference. He will get to him in the sixth or seventh round and stop him, with maybe a few knockdowns along the way," one source said, while Itauma himself said, 'I'd be the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson' - Itauma.
Tensions were visible before the fight day when the pair clashed at the weigh-in: "Itauma and Hrgovic get physical at weigh-in" and reports state that "Hrgovic slaps Itauma after being pushed off stage." Several commentators warned that cuts could decide the contest and repeatedly referenced both men's punching power in their predictions.
Live text commentary of the fight will begin at 19:30 BST on the BBC Sport website and app, with radio coverage starting at 21:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport platforms before switching to BBC Radio 5 Live from 22:00.
