Nigeian-born heavyweight boxer, Moses Itauma lost his attempt to become the second youngest ever world champion, as he fell on Saturday night at the feet of Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic, who averred that the 21-year-old British prodigy still has to gain more experience.
Sports247 reports that, with the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) title on the line, victory would have made Itauma rank behind Mike Tyson as the second-youngest world heavyweight champion in history, but his lack of experience came to light against the Olympic Games bronze medallist.
The only professional defeat sufffered by Hrgovic was against another Nigerian-born British heavyweight, Daniel Dubois, but lightning would not strike twice on Saturday, as the Croat survived everything Itauma threw at him and went on to achieve a remarkable upset.
Hrgovic ended Itauma’s world-title dream, though the British Best Young Boxer of 2025 controlled most of the fight and scored a second-round knockdown, as the Croat weathered the storm and piled on his pressure in the ninth round.
From that point, Itauma was barely able to stand and, with his legs unsteady, body swaying before slumping in the corner, his team threw in the towel, after which the youngster needed medical attention before leaving the arena on a stretcher.
That put an end to the surge of a highly promising Itauma, who tore through his first 14 opponents with 12 knockouts in three years and was rated as the next superstar of world heavyweight boxing, but Hrgovic took advantage of the lad’s lack of experience in the roped square.
Hrgovic boastfully declared afterwards, “From the first round, I saw him gassing out. He started fast. I knew he was going to gas out. I knew when my chance came, I needed to push. That is what I did.
“He is the best I have been in the ring with, but he needs more experience. I knew I was losing the round, but I knew that I had the pace in my favour. He needs more experience, but he is one of a kind.”
