Moses Itauma says "I'll be back" after Hrgovic defeat
The 21-year-old British heavyweight was stopped in the ninth round by Filip Hrgovic at the O2 Arena and left the ring on a stretcher.
The fighter's message
Moses Itauma, the 21-year-old British heavyweight, said he would "be back" after losing his first world title fight to Croatia's Filip Hrgovic at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday.
"It wasn't my night, we attempted greatness and just fell short to the more experienced man," Itauma said on social media, in comments reported by BBC Sport.
He added: "I want to say congratulations to Filip Hrgovic on his win. And although I never reached my desired outcome, I believe I gained experience that I'll take to my future fights."
The ninth round
The vacant IBF heavyweight title was on the line and Itauma went in as the favourite. Victory would have made him the second-youngest heavyweight world champion in history.
According to the Guardian, Itauma controlled the early rounds and dropped the 34-year-old Hrgovic in the second, with Hrgovic himself admitting he believed Itauma had won each of the first eight rounds.
In the ninth, Itauma appeared to have punched himself out. Hrgovic landed a right to the body and a left cross, the referee stepped in and a towel came from Itauma's corner at almost the same moment.
Aftermath and assessment
Itauma was barely able to stand at the finish and left the arena on a stretcher. BBC Sport reports he was taken to hospital for precautionary medical checks and released overnight.
Frank Warren, boss of Queensberry Promotions, told BBC Sport that Itauma needs a tactical rethink. "That aura of invincibility, at the moment, is gone," Warren said, adding that Itauma is "still one of the most unbelievable talents I've ever been involved with" and that the team will stick with him.
Warren said the fighter "needs a bit more ring craft and needs to stop thinking about knocking everyone out."
The questions raised
The defeat was the first of Itauma's professional career after 14 wins. The Guardian notes he had won 12 of those by early knockout, and the two exceptions were six-round bouts, meaning he had never fought beyond six rounds before Saturday.
Donald McRae, writing in the Guardian, argued that the loss raised fresh questions about Itauma's conditioning and about whether his corner had the tactical acumen to change strategy once Hrgovic survived the early rounds.
Hrgovic has now lost only one professional fight, to Daniel Dubois in 2024. What comes next for either fighter has not yet been announced in the reporting available.
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