Hrgovic On Itauma: 'Special Kid' Won't Lose Again

Filip Hrgovic believes Moses Itauma will never lose another fight if the 21-year-old recovers mentally from last month's upset.

The Croatian heavyweight stopped Itauma in the ninth round at London's O2 Arena to claim the IBF world title, but told a media roundtable Wednesday that the young southpaw was outboxing him through the first eight rounds. Two judges had Itauma ahead 8-0 at the time of the finish, per The Ring.

Why Hrgovic Calls Itauma Unbeatable

Hrgovic credited Itauma's speed and ring IQ, noting he had never faced anyone that fast at heavyweight. "I think he is a special kid; very fast, very talented and he countered whatever I tried," Hrgovic said, according to The Ring. "So if he recovers from this loss mentally, I think it's hard that anyone else will beat him ever, ever again."

The 34-year-old Hrgovic admitted the fight took a physical toll. He skipped his usual post-fight McDonald's trip and dealt with headaches until the Wednesday after the bout. He still has not watched the full fight back, saying he remains frustrated that Itauma outboxed him early.

Itauma, who dropped to 14-1 with the loss, had been a heavy favorite before gassing badly in the later rounds. Hrgovic compared the mental challenge to his own 2024 stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois, a defeat that nearly pushed him into retirement before he reeled off four straight wins to capture the title.

Hrgovic faces no immediate return date but has been linked to a potential clash with kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven on a Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua undercard.

Source: ringmagazine.com