Moses Itauma: what’s next?

[JamesPhilips]

A rematch is the worst option for Moses. He's out of his depth and needs to change his temperament and style. Hrg will walk him down, the nightmarish flashbacks will kick in and he'll begin to unravel.

Back to back losses to Hrg will ruin him psychologically and perhaps physically.

Agreed. He’s only 21 and before the Hrgovic fight had only been 6 rounds twice against journeymen and 30 odd rounds in total. I would suggest more cardio work and a slow but measured return. Problem has been that Itauma is hard to match - if a fighter is not good enough or sturdy enough they generally get blown out. EG Mckean on paper was a decent opponent but was vaporised in a round. Moses is a very tough fighter to match…. And that’s the problem

[overhand_right]

Maybe Jarrell Miller or some of the other lumps he's been tangling with lately?

[JC]

Dychko might be able to spoil and give him rounds.

[JamesPhilips]

Maybe Jarrell Miller or some of the other lumps he's been tangling with lately?

I would definitely go slower than that. Miller is huge, his chin Is good and still quite dangerous. However I’m really not sure who he should be matched with. Who is going to take him rounds without being too dangerous?

[mickey1975]

Hughie Fury.

[rd350lc]

Hughie Fury.

Isn't he retired?

[overhand_right]

Maybe Jarrell Miller or some of the other lumps he's been tangling with lately?

I would definitely go slower than that. Miller is huge, his chin Is good and still quite dangerous. However I’m really not sure who he should be matched with. Who is going to take him rounds without being too dangerous?

A rare condition known as 'Frank Bruno Syndrome'

[KiwiRider]

A rematch is the worst option for Moses. He's out of his depth and needs to change his temperament and style. Hrg will walk him down, the nightmarish flashbacks will kick in and he'll begin to unravel.

Back to back losses to Hrg will ruin him psychologically and perhaps physically.

Agreed. He’s only 21 and before the Hrgovic fight had only been 6 rounds twice against journeymen and 30 odd rounds in total. I would suggest more cardio work and a slow but measured return. Problem has been that Itauma is hard to match - if a fighter is not good enough or sturdy enough they generally get blown out. EG Mckean on paper was a decent opponent but was vaporised in a round. Moses is a very tough fighter to match…. And that’s the problem

How about he just goes the traditional route?
Skipping steps is what has landed him here.

[coneye]

A rematch is the worst option for Moses. He's out of his depth and needs to change his temperament and style. Hrg will walk him down, the nightmarish flashbacks will kick in and he'll begin to unravel.

Back to back losses to Hrg will ruin him psychologically and perhaps physically.

Agreed. He’s only 21 and before the Hrgovic fight had only been 6 rounds twice against journeymen and 30 odd rounds in total. I would suggest more cardio work and a slow but measured return. Problem has been that Itauma is hard to match - if a fighter is not good enough or sturdy enough they generally get blown out. EG Mckean on paper was a decent opponent but was vaporised in a round. Moses is a very tough fighter to match…. And that’s the problem

How about he just goes the traditional route?
Skipping steps is what has landed him here.

Makes a lot of sence , especielly now anyone who thinks they have a chin , will think they have a chance , suppose Moses is a classic case of overhyping before you actually know

[KiwiRider]

Agreed. He’s only 21 and before the Hrgovic fight had only been 6 rounds twice against journeymen and 30 odd rounds in total. I would suggest more cardio work and a slow but measured return. Problem has been that Itauma is hard to match - if a fighter is not good enough or sturdy enough they generally get blown out. EG Mckean on paper was a decent opponent but was vaporised in a round. Moses is a very tough fighter to match…. And that’s the problem

How about he just goes the traditional route?
Skipping steps is what has landed him here.

Makes a lot of sence , especielly now anyone who thinks they have a chin , will think they have a chance , suppose Moses is a classic case of overhyping before you actually know

There are still questions about his stamina definitely. Weather the first three rounds and he slows down to a point where you can attack. Abel knew it just from the Franklin fight, now everyone knows it.
Even domestically guys like Okolie and
Richard Riakporhe probably fancy it now.
So I think there is now even more weight on Moses' shoulders.

[mickey1975]

Hughie Fury.

Isn't he retired?

Apparently not. He would definitely give him rounds. It would be a good 10 rounder. The problem is TV aren't looking for that.

[overhand_right]

Does Hughie Fury seriously want fights? His career post losses suggest a loss of self belief but I'm speculating.

[mickey1975]

Does Hughie Fury seriously want fights? His career post losses suggest a loss of self belief but I'm speculating.

No idea. I'm just going on his dads interviews. He wants one in November and then a big one. We've heard all this before, though.

[keithmoonhangover]

Apparently Moses has been asking for the rematch, im sure he could win if he trains well and fights properly. Can't see it happening though, Herg would rightly want some serious cheddar.

I picked Hrgovic for the first fight and I'd double down on that for the rematch. He'd stop Itauma sooner in the rematch.

[Nightmare Roy]

Apparently Moses has been asking for the rematch, im sure he could win if he trains well and fights properly. Can't see it happening though, Herg would rightly want some serious cheddar.

I picked Hrgovic for the first fight and I'd double down on that for the rematch. He'd stop Itauma sooner in the rematch.

I dunno, he didn't really stop him in this fight, if Moses fights smart and doesn't over do it going for the KO he should piss it really.

[keithmoonhangover]

Apparently Moses has been asking for the rematch, im sure he could win if he trains well and fights properly. Can't see it happening though, Herg would rightly want some serious cheddar.

I picked Hrgovic for the first fight and I'd double down on that for the rematch. He'd stop Itauma sooner in the rematch.

I dunno, he didn't really stop him in this fight, if Moses fights smart and doesn't over do it going for the KO he should piss it really.

Hrgovic landed some excellent body shots. IMO, there's too much written about Moses losing and not enough about Hrgovic winning.

[Controversial]

Itauma lost it rather than Hrg winning it. Hrg hadn't won a round, he only won because Moses punched himself to a standstill. He done well to take the shots and hang on but he really only had success because Moses threw it away.

[MasterG]

Itauma lost it rather than Hrg winning it. Hrg hadn't won a round, he only won because Moses punched himself to a standstill. He done well to take the shots and hang on but he really only had success because Moses threw it away.

You have to give Hgr credit though for still being stood after 9 rounds of onslaught

[Controversial]

Itauma lost it rather than Hrg winning it. Hrg hadn't won a round, he only won because Moses punched himself to a standstill. He done well to take the shots and hang on but he really only had success because Moses threw it away.

You have to give Hgr credit though for still being stood after 9 rounds of onslaught

Yeah of course, I said he done well.

[jameswilson]

Hughie Fury.

Isn't he retired?

Apparently not. He would definitely give him rounds. It would be a good 10 rounder. The problem is TV aren't looking for that.

Has Hughie Fury ever been in a 10-12 rounder that someone described as ‘good’ at the end of the fight.

[JamesPhilips]

Isn't he retired?

Apparently not. He would definitely give him rounds. It would be a good 10 rounder. The problem is TV aren't looking for that.

Has Hughie Fury ever been in a 10-12 rounder that someone described as ‘good’ at the end of the fight.

Well according to Hennessy he boxed like Ali in the Parker fight….

[Tony1244]

Who, what, and how many? What I mean by how many is the number of rounds his next fight is scheduled for may be every bit as important as who his next opponent is.

His next 2 fights should not be scheduled for more than 8 rounds.

[JamesPhilips]

Itauma lost it rather than Hrg winning it. Hrg hadn't won a round, he only won because Moses punched himself to a standstill. He done well to take the shots and hang on but he really only had success because Moses threw it away.

Yet Ali did this against foreman and he’s considered a genius… Michael Watson was lauded for his tactics over Benn. I mean pacing yourself and having a realistic game plan going in is part of boxing. Hrgovic had the perfect game plan - use his experience to get through the early rounds, whilst Itauma works hard, once Moses starts tiring Hrgovic upped his work rate and started to pressure and land. You could see Filip start landing from round 3 - though he realised Itauma wasn’t ready to go. Hrgovic controlled the fight and paced himself even though Moses was winning the rounds Hrg was landing and getting closer. He then bullied and bashed up an exhausted Itauma. I don’t buy the “Itauma lost the fight, Hrgovic don’t win it" narrative.

[Controversial]

Itauma lost it rather than Hrg winning it. Hrg hadn't won a round, he only won because Moses punched himself to a standstill. He done well to take the shots and hang on but he really only had success because Moses threw it away.

Yet Ali did this against foreman and he’s considered a genius… Michael Watson was lauded for his tactics over Benn. I mean pacing yourself and having a realistic game plan going in is part of boxing. Hrgovic had the perfect game plan - use his experience to get through the early rounds, whilst Itauma works hard, once Moses starts tiring Hrgovic upped his work rate and started to pressure and land. You could see Filip start landing from round 3 - though he realised Itauma wasn’t ready to go. Hrgovic controlled the fight and paced himself even though Moses was winning the rounds Hrg was landing and getting closer. He then bullied and bashed up an exhausted Itauma. I don’t buy the “Itauma lost the fight, Hrgovic don’t win it" narrative.

I don't think Ali was a genius for beating Foreman, he had a gameplay to tire Foreman out but Foreman still fought a silly fight. Plus Ali was ahead on all three scorecards. I would bet if Foreman and Benn had rematches with Ali and Watson they wouldn't fight the same way. I'm not saying Hrg deserves no credit, of course not but the main reason he won was more what Moses did to himself, Hrg just had the experience to take advantage when Moses ran out of ideas and steam.

[Heldenjaeger]

Itauma lost it rather than Hrg winning it. Hrg hadn't won a round, he only won because Moses punched himself to a standstill. He done well to take the shots and hang on but he really only had success because Moses threw it away.

I think the bigger issue is that Itauma didn't really show another layer once he stopped being the one completely controlling the fight and the tempo.

Rounds 3 and 5 were already close enough that you could score either of them for Hrgovic. Whenever he had space to enforce his own pace Itauma immediately looked less comfortable. Hrgovic kept having success with that after those rounds too. He wasn't just hanging around waiting for Moses to gas, he was gradually making Moses fight at a tempo and in moments he didn't want to.

That seemed to be what really unsettled Itauma. Once he wasn't dictating everything, he started looking increasingly panicked, rushing his work and burning energy trying to force control back rather than calmly resetting and finding another way to fight.

Ironically, Hrgovic's worst round from a scoring point of view was probably round 8. He seemed to take most of it off and let Moses work, then deep in the final minute suddenly stepped on the gas, hurt him with two hard right hands to the side of the head and came out fast in the ninth to force the stoppage.

So yes, Itauma punched himself out, but not in isolation. Hrgovic was already having success whenever he could impose himself and the bigger thing he exposed was that Itauma currently seems to have one dominant mode: control the distance, control the pace, make the other guy react. Once Hrgovic reversed that and made Moses react instead, Itauma looked panicked and didn't really have another layer to fall back on.

Itauma threw a lot of punches and missed plenty of big swings. He still landed plenty too, but none of it ever really seemed to bother Hrgovic. In rounds 3 and 5 and later in the fight, it was Hrgovic who was landing the more meaningful punches. That's why reducing the whole thing to "Moses threw it away" misses what was actually happening in the ring.