Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic | DAZN - 29 August 2026

[Ruthless-RKO]

‘I’ll beat him’: Filip Hrgovic confident he’ll upset the odds against Moses Itauma

Filip Hrgovic believes he’s more battle tested than Moses Itauma and that will make a difference in the fight.

As Filiip Hrgovic gets ready to square off against Moses Itauma at London’s O2 Arena on August 29, he sits down with DAZN to discuss the momentous occasion for him in which he looks to validate himself on a world stage against a highly-regard opponent.

“I know the boxing world write me off in this fight, like he’s new Mike Tyson, young kid, young destroyer, but I believe in myself and this is the biggest fight of my life and it’s in the right moment,” Hrgovic says. “I’m just 34, lot of experience, lot energy, lot of power, lot of everything. So, I’m happy with this fight and I’ll beat him.

“They hype him a lot. He definitely got talent and big qualities and he’s big puncher and quick heavyweight, but definitely it’s much more, in my opinion, than he deserves.”

Hrgovic was then asked break down his perceived edge in experience over Itauma and how that benefits him in this fight.

“I’ve learned when it’s hard to don’t give up, to fight back and to endure everything on my way to the win. So I had hard path outside of the ring and in the ring a lot of hard fights, a lot of challenges, lot of tough rounds. It makes you stronger person, stronger will and it just built me different than him. I feel like when he’s compared to my career, he’s got everything [handed to him on the table] and it’s different.”

Soon after Hrgovic was asked to break down some video tape and assess Itauma’s style.

“[His] feinting, it’s not going to work with me,” Hrgovic said while watching Itauma clips. “I’m going to stick the jab in his face with that feinting down, down [to the body]…And [if] he come with a left hand, I’m going back, boom, counter punch. Right hand, left hook, and then here and there I’m just going to miss on purpose with the right hand and come back with a left — sleeping.”

You can watch the full video interview below!

[mickey1975]

Guido v Jolly added.

[Floydendizer]

Should have too much for Jolly who didn’t look great against Will Howe , lost to some decent lads & holds a stoppage against Makmudov which is decent form .

[Coco]

While it is a big opportunity for Jolly, and a payday you can't turn down, he isn't good enough to win here

[mickey1975]

While it is a big opportunity for Jolly, and a payday you can't turn down, he isn't good enough to win here

I agree.

[keithmoonhangover]

I'm ready for something of a travesty with this one, and I don't blame George Groves.

I think there's an extremely high chance of Itauma jumping on Hrg early and having him all over the shop, giving some home ref the horn to fill the first available gap. Hrg's 5/1, which in a legit enterprise would be too generous. But it's not, so it isn't.

Cos he's seriously hard to stop, Hrg, seemingly checking out against Zhang for McCallish walkabouts, but staying upright to the end. Leaky defence; good chin. Without a bent ref I'd fancy him to survive the early heat and possibly overcome Itauma down the stretch. That's unless Itauma could answer our cardio doubts or Hrg just faded.

Betting on boxing's so hazardous now and I think this fight's a glaring example of why. Like 5/1 should be reasonable expected value if you didn't have to second guess the external factors. Fair play if Itauma nails him with a bomb, but please give the man a square go if he's standing hurt.

I've said I think Hrg's overrated by many for a long time, but he certainly has more about him than anyone else Itauma's fought so far. I hope it's allowed to be the fight it should be.

I bet all the time and this one is too unpredictable. Keep your money in your pocket sir.

[Grilling Machine]

I've made decent money with Itauma in accas until now, but I ain't gambling two-man odds on three! Hrg's not washed or poor enough to write off, just really up against it.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Won’t be a bad idea to risk some on Hrg for sure.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Moses Itauma employs Olympic medallist ahead of Filip Hrgovic test

Moses Itauma is putting the finishing touches to his preparation for the vacant IBF heavyweight title clash with Croatian Filip Hrgovic on August 29.

The 21-year-old southpaw, aiming to become the youngest heavyweight beltholder since Mike Tyson, has employed long-time friend – and perhaps future rival – Nelvie Tiafack as a sparring partner.

Tiafack, 27, is an Olympic bronze medallist from Germany who was beaten by Bakhodir Jalolov in the semi-finals of the super heavyweight tournament at Paris 2024. Unlike Jalolov, who continues to flirt with the amateur code, Taifack is now fully focused on the profs where he’s 4-0 (3 KOs).

The heavyweight is set to fight this weekend, under promotional banner MVP, on the Amanda Serrano-Lucrecia Anabella Manzur undercard at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California. He takes on the unbeaten Salvador Zavala Molina over eight rounds.

The German, who also mixed with Richard Torrez Jnr, Jared Anderson, Justis Huni and Frazer Clarke in the vest, has sparred Itauma in the past and is highly regarded by the youngster.

The feeling is mutual.

“I’m not surprised what he’s bringing to the table because since the first day that we met in the ring… That guy’s special and he’s a great talent, definitely,” told Sky Sports last year.

The Cameroon-born Tiafack, who has been an MVP fighter since his second paid outing, added about Itauma: “Once we’re in the ring, it changes completely because everybody wants to knock each other’s head off.

“That’s what it’s all about, it’s boxing. There’s no sympathy there once we’re in the ring.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Eolaithe]

I do not know enough about Moses Itauma to say whether he deserves the huge hype around him, especially the media’s constant comparisons with Mike Tyson.

He appears to be a very good fighter and an exciting prospect.

When Itauma faces Filip Hrgovic, he will have been a professional boxer for three years and seven months.

Itauma has won 14 fights, 12 by KO, and has held the WBO Inter-Continental and Commonwealth heavyweight titles. The biggest names on his record are Dillian Whyte, Jermaine Franklin Jr. and Mariusz Wach.

At the same stage of his professional career (same post pro debut timeframe), Mike Tyson had fought 35 times, scored 31 KOs, won eight world title fights, and become the undisputed world heavyweight champion by holding the WBA, WBC and IBF belts. He had also beaten two International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees and several former world champions, including Trevor Berbick, James Smith, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks.

That is why I think the comparisons between Moses Itauma and Mike Tyson are completely absurd.

Itauma’s promoters and broadcaster-employed pundits repeatedly argue that, despite limited amateur and professional experience, Itauma showed his potential during his late teens by sparring elite fighters such as Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, Joe Joyce and Lawrence Okolie. But didn’t David Price and Martin Bakole have allegedly “fearsome” gym reputations that never translated into world-level professional success?

We should actively refrain from granting an unproven fighter, like Itauma, an honorary rite of passage to being regarded as the best in their division, or even greatness, until we’ve seen them beat the best in their own weight class.

That said, I think Moses Itauma’s handlers know what they’re doing when it comes to matchmaking. I expect him to stop a game and busted up one-dimensional and defensively irresponsible Filip Hrgovic within six rounds.

[gilgamesh]

While it is a big opportunity for Jolly, and a payday you can't turn down, he isn't good enough to win here

For some reason I was thinking when you guys were saying Jolly that it was a nickname you had come up with for Jalolov, but apparently it's really some dude named Jolly.

Consider me disappointed. I thought we had a decent Heavyweight battle of fringe contenders here. We still may though. I'm unfamiliar with Jolly, but it doesn't necessarily mean he's not good. At any rate I like Heavyweight fights so this should be a good addition to the card.

[joshj909]

While it is a big opportunity for Jolly, and a payday you can't turn down, he isn't good enough to win here

His best bet is looking tough or good in a loss and getting picked as an opponent again.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[KiwiRider]

That should be a good fight
Someone's O must go
Look at the size of Narmo compared to Mark De Mori, he's quoted as 2 metres tall with a 2+ metre reach.

[joshj909]

Putting these can crushers with padded records up against each other are like freakshow fights and I'm all for it.

[golden_labrador]

That should be a good fight
Someone's O must go
Look at the size of Narmo compared to Mark De Mori, he's quoted as 2 metres tall with a 2+ metre reach.

did De Mori quit because of the low blow?

Narmo was exhausted

[jameswilson]

He gestured that he was hit on the back of his head when he went and tapped gloves at the end.

[golden_labrador]

He gestured that he was hit on the back of his head when he went and tapped gloves at the end.

how does this guy still get fights?

[mickey1975]

Putting these can crushers with padded records up against each other are like freakshow fights and I'm all for it.

It's literally to get an Albanian on to sell tickets. They should leave the big arena nights to the north.

[Riddick Bowie]

The "WBO global heavyweight title"?

What the hell is that?

Why does Turki not ask the same question?

How is global and world different? Are they going to work through the thesaurus and keep creating belts? Who is the WBO Earth heavyweight champion?

I always hoped a super rich boxing fan would get into the sport and consolidate all these silly belts and alphabet bodies and interim gibberish. Now Turki's here but nothing's changed. New management, same old crappy trinkets.

[jameswilson]

Putting these can crushers with padded records up against each other are like freakshow fights and I'm all for it.

It's literally to get an Albanian on to sell tickets. They should leave the big arena nights to the north.

No coach full of lads going from York like there was for the packed out Hughie Fury v Joseph Parker?

[mickey1975]

Putting these can crushers with padded records up against each other are like freakshow fights and I'm all for it.

It's literally to get an Albanian on to sell tickets. They should leave the big arena nights to the north.

No coach full of lads going from York like there was for the packed out Hughie Fury v Joseph Parker?

No. None from the south east either by the looks of it. There’ll be coaches in Sheffield in October, though. Was there many at the Copperbox last night? I couldn’t believe it was scheduled for York Hall with half of Essex on the undercard. Yet they’ll take Pat Brown to the Co op after a handful of fights….

[KiwiRider]

Putting these can crushers with padded records up against each other are like freakshow fights and I'm all for it.

Same!
You have to find out who is moving up, and who is going to be just an opponent.
With both unbeaten they will or at least should be giving it everything. Sure the quality is likely to be low, but the motivation should be high, and sometimes that makes for really entertaining fights.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight week!!