Itauma On Hrgovic Loss After Scary Exit

Moses Itauma broke his silence after being stretchered from The O2 Arena following his ninth-round stoppage loss to Filip Hrgovic in their vacant IBF heavyweight title fight. The previously unbeaten prospect was hospitalized as a precautionary measure but appears in good spirits according to a video posted to Tunnel Culture's Instagram page, as first reported by Bloody Elbow and BJPenn.com.

Itauma faded badly down the stretch after controlling the early rounds, allowing the veteran Croatian to mount a stunning comeback. The 20-year-old British heavyweight took responsibility for the defeat in his first public comments since the loss. "So yesterday wasn't my night," he said in the video. "We attempted greatness and we just fell short to the more experienced man."

What Itauma Gained From First Pro Defeat

Despite the setback, Itauma praised the atmosphere at the London venue and thanked both Queensberry Promotions and DAZN for staging the event. He credited Hrgovic with the victory while emphasizing the lessons he extracted from the experience. "Although I never reached my desired outcome I believe I gained experience that I will take into future fights," Itauma told fans in the video statement.

The stoppage marked the first blemish on Itauma's record after he entered the bout with significant hype surrounding his heavyweight prospects. Industry observers noted his stock may not have dropped as sharply as the result suggests, provided he can solve the stamina issues that surfaced against Hrgovic. Itauma's team has not announced a timeline for his return or identified his next opponent.

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• BJPenn — Moses Itauma speaks out after scary post-fight exit in loss to Filip Hrgovic: “We attempted greatness and we just fell short”