Facing an opponent who has pledged to “smash the kid” and “send him back to high school,” Moses Itauma is looking more mature than his 21 years.
The undefeated British heavyweight (14-0) is aiming to become the second youngest heavyweight champion in history when he takes on Filip Hrgovic (21-1) for the IBF title in London on Saturday.
If Itauma can beat Hrgovic, he’d become the youngest heavyweight champion since a 20-year-old Mike Tyson stopped Trevor Berbick in 1986.
Hrgovic, a 34-year-old Croatian, has focused on Itauma’s age in the buildup.
At times, he’s claimed to be concerned Itauma is too young to handle the money and fame that comes with being a champion. There’s been plenty of mockery, too.
“He is a kid, he is not mature enough and I think I am the man. I am a much better age, much more experience. No mind games,” he said Thursday. “I’ll smash the kid on Saturday and send him back to high school.”
Itauma has brushed it all off.
“At the end of the day talk is cheap. He has just got schoolboy banter and that’s it. You’ve got to keep rolling,” he said.
Itauma added he just wants to beat Hrgovic and the title and record are just a “plus one.”
Itauma’s whirlwind rise
Itauma made his pro debut a month after his 18th birthday and hasn’t looked back since.
He racked up six wins in the space of nine months to start his pro career. The southpaw then made a big statement knocking out former contender Dillian Whyte in the first round last year. A crunching knockout of Jermaine Franklin in March brought more buzz. His resume also includes a win over Mike Balogun, a former Buffalo Bills linebacker turned pro boxer.
It’s all a long way from the small town in Slovakia where Itauma was born to a Nigerian father and Slovakian mother. Itauma has described moving to England with his family as a child after encountering racist abuse. His brother Karol was a top light-heavyweight prospect but had to retire after a heart attack.
Hrgovic’s rise has been more measured, with notable wins over Zhang Zhilei and Joe Joyce, but also a big setback in a 2024 loss to Daniel Dubois, who’s now the WBO champion. Hrgovic was bleeding from deep cuts above his eyes when the ringside doctor recommended the fight be stopped.
Fractured heavyweight division
Itauma’s fight with Hrgovic wasn’t meant to be for a major title.
When it was scheduled in June, it was a way to narrow down the contenders for a potential challenge to then-IBF champ Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian’s decision to vacate all of his titles weeks later, as he seeks one last bout before retirement, opened up the whole heavyweight division.
Cuban fighter Frank Sanchez was also in the IBF title picture. He has said he agreed to a deal to allow Itauma vs. Hrgovic to go ahead and will fight the winner.
The WBC recognized Agit Kabayel as champion, the first German in over 90 years with a major men’s heavyweight belt, while Dubois has the WBO belt he won in an all-British fight against Fabio Wardley in May.
Murat Gassiev was upgraded to Usyk’s old WBA “super” title and defended it against Peter Kadiru in Moscow in July after his original opponent, Tony Yoka, was injured.
All these new champions could be overshadowed by two veterans as long-running talks grind on for a blockbuster fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, without a major title at stake.
Ready for battle
At the weigh-in, Hrgovic came in at 107 kilograms (236.2 pounds), while Itauma registered 110 kilos (241.7).
After the ritual face-to-face pose, Hrgovic stepped in front of Itauma and began posing for the cameras, prompting Itauma to shove him off the stage. Hrgovic lunged back and managed to land a punch on the British fighter’s face and security prevented any further escalation.
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