Moses Itauma to fight Filip Hrgovic in London on 29 August for vacant IBF heavyweight title

Moses Itauma, the 21-year-old British heavyweight, will face Filip Hrgovic in London on 29 August for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title, a bout that gives him a chance to become the second youngest world heavyweight champion after Mike Tyson.

The fight was recently upgraded to a world-title contest; Itauma said he had little initial reaction. “I didn’t really have any reaction,” he said. “I was like, if I’m fighting Hrgovic and I’ve got the opportunity for it to be a world title, then yeah, chuck it on the line. I didn’t have any other feeling. I was taking Hrgovic serious – and, now the fight is for a world title, I’m still taking him serious. It’s still the same fight, innit?”

Itauma acknowledged he is aware of the historical context should he win: Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion at 20 years and four months when he won the WBC title by stopping Trevor Berbick in the second round in November 1986. The report describes the Berbick stoppage: after going down heavily for a second time, Berbick “reeled across the ring, fell, got up, toppled over, staggered to his feet, and lurched into the opposite corner where he collapsed again.” Itauma said of that bout: “I’ve watched that fight, of course.”

He said becoming the youngest was a goal he set but did not achieve, noting other steps in his progress. “But Tyson’s had his career. I’m still making my career. Of course I tried to set up a goal to become the youngest heavyweight world champion. I didn’t achieve it, but I landed a fight with Dillian Whyte [a former world title challenger whom Itauma knocked out in less than two minutes last August].”

Itauma’s recent form includes a five-round victory over Jermaine Franklin, and he has drawn high praise from pundit Teddy Atlas. “That’s the first heavyweight that actually matches Tyson’s combination of speed and power,” Atlas said. “The difference is how [Itauma] does it. Tyson did it in a very one-dimensional, aggressive way, coming forward, making you miss, making you pay. Itauma? He’s got a lot of options. He’s [multi-]dimensional. He can box, he can set traps, he can counterpunch. He can fight inside. He can do a lot of different things. He’s got good intellect. He’s got good technique.”

Itauma expressed surprise at Atlas’s comparison and made a wry remark about past tensions between Atlas and Tyson. “Teddy Atlas said that? Really?” he said. “Teddy Atlas put a gun to Mike Tyson’s head before, no? I think he just doesn’t like Mike Tyson, so he’s finding a way to dim his light. But Teddy Atlas saying that? I appreciate it.”

On handling publicity and his public image, Itauma said he is adjusting to attention and prefers to remain authentic. “I just had an interview with the BBC, and they asked me: ‘What’s the one thing that people don’t know about Moses Itauma?’ I said I don’t actually want to be under the bright lights. But, with the way I’m going, it looks like I ain’t got no choice.” He added: “I think I’m learning how to deal with the media. When I first started as a professional, the problem is you’re always talking about what you’re gonna do, and it’s like you haven’t yet proved anything.” He described his public manner: “I just try to be authentic when I’m on camera and it seems like I’m putting on entertaining fights,” Itauma said. “But I’m not braggadocious. I’m not swaggerdocious. I don’t do anything extraordinary outside the ring. I feel like [his increasing popularity] might be because I come across as myself. I don’t try to be anyone else.”

Itauma recounted the difficulty of mixing fan adulation with in-ring focus and issued himself a clear warning about the stakes against Hrgovic. He recalled before the Franklin fight wanting to “sit there and listen to it and appreciate it” when fans were singing his name but said fighting prevents that. “If I don’t get past Hrgovic, there ain’t gonna be no stadium fights or nothing.” On Hrgovic he said: “He’s a very good fighter. He’s only had one defeat [against Daniel Dubois] and only lost because of a cut. So he’s solid. Shit, I’m in for a long night. But I’ll be all right.” When asked whether he is preparing to win on points he added: “Ah man, nobody comes to watch heavyweights to see two guys go to points. If you’re watching the heavyweight division, you want to see some knockouts.”

Itauma’s immediate next challenge is the scheduled 29 August meeting with Filip Hrgovic in London for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title; a victory would make him only the second fighter in history to become a world heavyweight champion at so young an age after Mike Tyson.