Hrgovic On Itauma's Training: 'Yes Men' Cost Him Title

Filip Hrgovic says Moses Itauma surrounded himself with the wrong kind of training team ahead of their August heavyweight title fight.

Hrgovic stopped Itauma in the ninth round at O2 Arena on August 29 to claim the IBF belt. In the aftermath, questions swirled about how the 21-year-old from Kent prepared for championship rounds. According to The Ring, Hrgovic pointed to Itauma's entourage as the problem.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Premier Boxing Champions Card on Ticketmaster →

"He's surrounded with like 10,000 yes-men and nutritionists and coaches for this, coaches for that, a coach for sleeping, a coach for I don't know what," Hrgovic said. "But you can't get ready for this kind of fight, for a war, in that way and I think that was the difference in our fight."

Hrgovic's Old-School Camp Under Abel Sanchez

The Croatian heavyweight trained under Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California for the bout. Hrgovic called the approach "simple but very hard" and credited Sanchez with stripping away the extras. He linked up with the veteran coach in 2024 after losing to Daniel Dubois and has won four straight since.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Premier Boxing Champions Card on Ticketmaster →

"You need to have that coach who's strict," Hrgovic told The Ring. "At 34, I can't learn so much about boxing anymore but Abel got me back to the basics. He was that guy who's strict." He contrasted that with what he sees as modern fighters chasing trends instead of fundamentals. "A lot of this young generation believe in nutritionists, they believe in psychologists, they believe in yoga, pilates. But there are no shortcuts."

Itauma has worked with Ben Davison since March 2024 and did a pre-camp in Marbella, Spain ahead of the title shot. Promoter Frank Warren said after the loss that the entire team would meet to figure out adjustments. Hrgovic fights next on a date to be announced.

Source: ringmagazine.com