Moses Itauma vowed “I’ll be back” after failing in his attempt to become the second-youngest ever heavyweight world champion on Saturday.
Britain’s Itauma, 21, tore through his first 14 opponents but his team threw in the towel in the ninth round against Filip Hrgovic at O2 Arena, London.
Having appeared to punch himself out, Itauma was barely able to stand as Hrgovic, 34, applied pressure to end the fight.
“It wasn’t my night, we attempted greatness and just fell short to the more experienced man,” Itauma said on social media.
“I want to say congratulations to Filip Hrgovic on his win. And although I never reached my desired outcome, I believe I gained experience that I’ll take to my future fights.
Filip Hrgovic is the first Croatian to become a world heavyweight boxing champion after beating Briton Moses Itauma.
Published On 30 Aug 202630 Aug 2026
Filip Hrgovic of Croatia beat Britain’s Moses Itauma via a ninth-round stoppage to win the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) world heavyweight title in a thrilling contest in London.
Itauma, bidding to become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion after Mike Tyson, was on top during the fight’s early stages but had to be carried from the ring on a stretcher and taken to hospital from the O2 Arena on Saturday.
Facing the toughest test of his 15-fight professional career against an experienced Olympic medal winner, the 21-year-old Itauma tired against an opponent with a granite chin.
Itauma’s trainer Ben Davison threw in the towel in the ninth round, but by that time referee Howard Foster had stopped the fight in Hrgovic’s favour as the Croat won the world heavyweight title vacated by Ukrainian boxing great Oleksandr Usyk.
It was Itauma’s first time beyond the sixth round and at one point in the ninth he looked as if he was about to topple.
Hrgovic in action against Itauma [Peter Cziborra/Action Images via Reuters]
“I don’t know from where I got energy in that [ninth] round,” said the 34-year-old Hrgovic, almost as spent physically as his beaten opponent.
“It was really not my strength. It was Holy Spirit. He gave me strength in this camp to endure everything, to have [the] best camp of my life, he put me in touch with this great coach Abel Sanchez.”
Hrgovic saluted the courageous Itauma by adding: “I’m the present, and he’s definitely [the] future. He’s an amazing fighter. He’s one of a kind. He’s the best I’ve been in a ring with, but he needed more experience.
“I felt the pace of the fight. I knew I was losing rounds, but I knew that I had that pace in my favour. He was gassing out.”
Itauma landed with several straight left hands early on and Hrgovic was given a standing eight count in the second after being caught with a right hook.
Itauma’s uppercut at the end of the fifth round had home fans in a partisan crowd standing in appreciation.
But come the eighth, both boxers appeared out on their feet, with Hrgovic somehow still standing despite several punishing blows.
Hrgovic was landing powerful shots of his own and, with a dazed Itauma lurching around the ring, Foster called a halt in the ninth round.
Promoter Frank Warren said after the bout that Hrgovic is set to next fight Cuban Frank Sanchez, but the Croatian himself said he instead wants to take on WBO champion Daniel Dubois and then WBC title holder Agit Kabayel — both of whom were ringside at the O2 Arena.
“I want unification. Frank Sanchez will wait,” Hrgovic said.
Hrgovic’s only loss came to Dubois in 2024. Hrgovic was bleeding from deep cuts above his eyes that time when the ringside doctor recommended the fight be stopped.
Hrgovic – wearing the red and white checks of his country – made his entrance first to a wall of boos, before the mood inside the O2 Arena flipped as Itauma emerged to a huge roar – taking his time and soaking up the reception.
The crowd had made its allegiances clear after a fiery build-up which included Itauma shoving Hrgovic, the Zagreb man slapping him back and plenty of verbal sparring.
Itauma came out with real intent, landing straight lefts from his southpaw stance. Hrgovic is known for his durability but struggled to keep pace with the Briton’s speed early on.
Early in the second, a right hook knocked Hrgovic off-balance and his glove touched the canvas. Oasis star Noel Gallagher and boxing legend Prince Naseem Hamed were among those watching as the crowd gasped at almost every Itauma punch, whether it landed or not.
But by the end of the third, Itauma – who had boxed just 26 professional rounds before his first world-title fight – was already breathing heavily.
There had also been questions over his chin, simply because it had never really been tested. Hrgovic began landing the occasional heavy shot but Itauma took them well and fired straight back.
A fight in the crowd momentarily took attention away from the action in the fifth before an Itauma uppercut in the closing seconds brought the focus back to the ring.
Itauma continued to fire combinations but Hrgovic was barely budging. A huge right landed on the bell in the sixth and another followed in the seventh, yet the Croatian simply walked through them.
The Briton was well ahead but, rather than box his way towards victory, he continued to chase the knockout. A flurry in the eighth backed Hrgovic on to the ropes and had him in trouble, but Itauma was grimacing between exchanges and looking increasingly spent.
By now the danger was clear. Hrgovic came out with renewed purpose in the ninth and landed a thudding right which sent Itauma staggering backwards, almost through the ropes.
The youngster somehow stayed upright but his legs had gone. Hrgovic continued to press and when Itauma slumped into his corner, exhausted and barely able to defend himself, referee Howard Foster waved off the contest as the towel came in.
British heavyweight Moses Itauma pushed Filip Hrgovic off the stage before the Croat slapped him as chaos erupted at the weigh-in for Saturday’s world-title bout.
The pair will fight for the vacant IBF heavyweight title at London’s O2 Arena, with Itauma bidding to become the second-youngest heavyweight champion in history.
The 21-year-old had refused to engage with Hrgovic’s attempts to rile him during fight week but was in a fierce mood as the pair exchanged expletives during a charged face-off.
As Hrgovic turned to pose for photographs, Itauma shoved him in the back, sending the 34-year-old off the stage.
Hrgovic climbed back up, reached through security and slapped the Chatham fighter in the face before members of both teams became involved as security separated them.
“He pushed me first so I just gave it back. He started it,” Hrgovic said, before breaking off from the interview to stare down Itauma.
Moses Itauma says Filip Hrgovic’s comments are starting to “wind him up” before their IBF heavyweight world title fight on Saturday.
A victory at the O2 Arena would mean 21-year-old Itauma becomes the second youngest heavyweight world champion in history, behind only Mike Tyson.
The British fighter is the favouite going into the contest, but Hrgovic has been trying to taunt his rival by calling him a “kid” and “inexperienced”.
“I tell myself there’s nothing that this Hrgovic guy can do to get in my head but he’s starting to wind me up,” Itauma said.
“In an interview earlier, apparently he said I wake up and I just hug trees. He’s really starting to annoy me.
“In my mind if somebody’s trying to get one up on you, or trying to get in your head, it’s because they’re not confident in themselves. Obviously Hrgovic is a talker.”
Croatia’s Hrgovic, 13 years Itauma’s senior, has suggested that victory for his opponent could have a negative affect on Itauma’s future and that losing the fight would “save his soul”.
