Warren On Itauma's Hrgovic Loss: 'It's All Pretty Raw'

Frank Warren said Moses Itauma's ninth-round stoppage loss to Filip Hrgovic remains difficult to process days after the fact.

Warren joined talkSPORT on Monday to discuss the fight at The O2 Arena, where Itauma was up on all three scorecards before gassing badly and getting dropped twice in the ninth. Bad Left Hook reported that the 20-year-old Itauma posted a brief message taking responsibility for the defeat and congratulating the new IBF heavyweight champion.

Warren Says Changes Coming After Itauma Loss

The promoter told talkSPORT that Itauma threw every punch with knockout intentions and never paced himself. "He was eight rounds in front on the judges' cards and where he went wrong was every punch he was throwing was throwing with bad intentions to knockout, and the pace he fought at," Warren said. "He didn't pace himself in the fight and he was just in top gear all the way through. He didn't change down, ease off a bit, and that comes with ring craft and guile."

Warren praised Hrgovic and trainer Abel Sanchez for weathering the early storm, calling the Croatian tough as old boots. He pointed to historical comebacks from Joe Louis and Wladimir Klitschko as proof that heavyweight prospects can recover from stoppage losses. "It's all pretty raw at the moment and sore," Warren said. "So, we'll sit down and have to have a debrief and there will have to be some changes and there will be some changes, and we'll see where he's at."

Warren added that Itauma's corner and team all share responsibility for the defeat. No timeline has been set for Itauma's return.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — ‘It’s all pretty raw at the moment’: Frank Warren reacts to Moses Itauma loss