Riddick Bowie wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 03:04
Anyone noticed how nervous Moses was before the fight? Contrast the body language. Moses looked on edge, crossed himself more than anyone since Frank Bruno in Vegas. Meanwhile Hrg just strolling around the ring with a look of steely composure.
I just watched the full fight and agree with you completely. Even in the early rounds, which Moses won easily, you could see his confidence melting.
Itauma probably expected his blazing hand speed and crushing knockout power to end matters quickly. But it didn't. Hrg took his beating in true Iron Man style, withstanding Itauma's power, slipping punches, and dancing away as necessary. This made Itauma realize he was facing a true pro. He did not like the way it felt.
Moses will probably go down in history as a head case fighter. Meaning a great talent who lacked the psychological resilience to fulfill his great potential.
Yeah the facial expression and body language was bad from very early in the fight.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Bullza wrote: ↑29 Aug 2026, 18:52
So the guy loses every single round and becomes World Champion due to the other guy exhausting himself.
Can't be too proud really. He didn't beat Itauma, Itauma beat Itauma.
Ali did the same against Foreman & was called a genius for doing it.
That is absolute nonsense - you must have been on the Itauma hype train
Hrgovic did his thing beautifully, all part of his gameplan
Itauma is another Josh Kelly for the UK boxing community to now process
You have no idea what his game plan was. Its irrelevant what hype was behind him. You can clearly see what happened for yourself. Itauma won every round.
He burnt through his stamina that quick that it brought him down to a level playing field and then went further down to the point the guy was swinging at the air and could barely stand on his feet.
You can give Hrgovic credit for having a good enough chin to stay in there long enough for that to have happened but otherwise he did nothing. He was a punching bag that lasted long enough for Itauma to finish himself off.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:01
by Kilburn
Well with hindsight he was absolutely right to be nervous. A select few people would surely have been aware of Moses’ having nowhere near the endurance level needed to navigate a competitive 12 round fight. Moses himself was obviously one of them.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:02
by samwbr
His management should get him away from Ben Davison, the way he spoke befoe the fight last night was incredibly arrogant and they all got taught a very harsh lesson.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:08
by 2347885
Damn I went through all this with David Price thinking he was going to go all the way until he showed his lack of stamina
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:14
by Controversial
I have no idea if connected or accurate but seeing a few posts online saying his brother Karols medical condition is potentially hereditary. I wasn’t sure what they meant so looked him up and I didn’t realise it but Karol had to retire as he had a heart attack aged 23. Let’s hope it’s nothing that serious! Someone else saying it looked more like a back injury which would affect his legs and ability to move or stand,
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Hrg has had higher outputs in previous fights. There were rounds tonight where he did nothing for 2 minutes
And yet he still looked knackered himself.
I wish Hrgovic well but I suspect all the top heavyweights are licking their lips right now.
Oh definitely, it was the easiest HW belt to win in years, which also says a bit about Itauma.
Kabayel beat Zhang to get the WBC belt, think Zhang and Hrgovic are on a par but Hrgovic did best Zhang.
Gassiev got his belt for beating old man Pulev.
Wardley got his title for beating Parker.
Dubois got his first belt for beating Hrgovic actually.
Fury's second reign was for beating Wilder.
Joshua got his first belt for beating Charles Martin. Also picked up the WBO for beating Parker.
Parker got his belt for beating Ruiz.
Wilder got his belt for beating Bermaine Stiverne.
I don't know how long you meant by years but it's at least on a par with most of these.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:16
by smiling assassin
Itauma is no David Price. He didn’t get outboxed, he didn’t get busted up he shot his bolt and was a sitting duck.
Trust me Itauma will learn from that fight. If anything he was finding it to easy and fought at a pace he couldn’t keep up because he was sure Hrg would wilt, which he never much to his credit.
Don’t let the hype which this kid was getting take away the fact that he is a super talent. I haven’t seen a heavyweight with feet and hands like this for years.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:24
by Kilburn
smiling assassin wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 04:16
Itauma is no David Price. He didn’t get outboxed, he didn’t get busted up he shot his bolt and was a sitting duck.
Trust me Itauma will learn from that fight. If anything he was finding it to easy and fought at a pace he couldn’t keep up because he was sure Hrg would wilt, which he never much to his credit.
Don’t let the hype which this kid was getting take away the fact that he is a super talent. I haven’t seen a heavyweight with feet and hands like this for years.
Fingers crossed for him, right now it looks to be a hugely daunting task to get his cardio anywhere near where it needs to be.
Surely even the most pessimistic observers couldn’t have predicted Moses would fall apart like a Misfits fighter. It was pretty shocking.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:24
by Flump
Itauma will hopefully learn from this. It was just crazy that he was loading up so much when the gas tank was running low. He seemed to get a second wind in round 8, which he wasted by trying to blast Hrgovic out instead of using his brain and boxing. You could attribute some of this to the corner too unless he was just ignoring them.
A couple semi reasonable fights in the crowd and a bunch of coked up morons sat around me, one of them puking over himself. I'd almost forgotten what a night at the O2 for boxing was like, but fun all the same.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
smiling assassin wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 04:16
Itauma is no David Price. He didn’t get outboxed, he didn’t get busted up he shot his bolt and was a sitting duck.
Trust me Itauma will learn from that fight. If anything he was finding it to easy and fought at a pace he couldn’t keep up because he was sure Hrg would wilt, which he never much to his credit.
Don’t let the hype which this kid was getting take away the fact that he is a super talent. I haven’t seen a heavyweight with feet and hands like this for years.
Fingers crossed for him, right now it looks to be a hugely daunting task to get his cardio anywhere near where it needs to be.
Surely even the most pessimistic observers couldn’t have predicted Moses would fall apart like a Misfits fighter. It was pretty shocking.
Yeah mate it was alarming just how bad his fitness is. To be gassed by the end of the 4th was absolutely shocking especially when he’d barely taken a shot himself.
Fitness can be worked on though so I don’t see why everyone will turn their back on him now. He probably thought knowone could stand up to him for 6 rounds. Now he knows that’s not the case and his fitness needs to be a priority.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:34
by NazNaci1
Putting too much on his shots, too early.
Of course, you will let some heavy ones go, but you can't really just keep going, loading up and firing explosively.
Tiring.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:51
by forcefraser
I'd like to see Moses with an old school trainer. Someone like Sanchez or Garcia, not Ben Davidson
What was Davidson telling him in the corner? Didn't read the fight.
I don't get the Davidson hype train. Smarm over substance
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
smiling assassin wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 04:16
Itauma is no David Price. He didn’t get outboxed, he didn’t get busted up he shot his bolt and was a sitting duck.
Trust me Itauma will learn from that fight. If anything he was finding it to easy and fought at a pace he couldn’t keep up because he was sure Hrg would wilt, which he never much to his credit.
Don’t let the hype which this kid was getting take away the fact that he is a super talent. I haven’t seen a heavyweight with feet and hands like this for years.
Fingers crossed for him, right now it looks to be a hugely daunting task to get his cardio anywhere near where it needs to be.
Surely even the most pessimistic observers couldn’t have predicted Moses would fall apart like a Misfits fighter. It was pretty shocking.
Completely agree. Dave Allen pointed out in the Franklin fight how much energy Moses expends relying on footwork.
He will inevitably have massive demons from this defeat, knowing how his gas tank empties quicker than a phone scammer with a pensioner's debit card details.
It seems that thinks cardio is 'for mugs' and I sincerely doubt he has the discipline to suddenly dedicate himself to roadwork.
5.13 in this is very telling.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 04:58
by Riddick Bowie
The footage of him getting stretchered out is horrifying. His eyes are closed. Any updates?
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 05:05
by Joson
2347885 wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 04:08
Damn I went through all this with David Price thinking he was going to go all the way until he showed his lack of stamina
I'm starting to think that Itauma will end up like Price, who started his career looking like God in Boxing Gloves but ended up as boxing's version of a crash test dummy.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 05:06
by Controversial
Far too early to write him off, unless there are serious medical issues we are unaware of we have to remember he didn't even box as a senior in the amateurs, just 24 junior amateur fights. Then only 13 fights as a pro, none past round 6. Only 21 years old and hugely inexperienced as a pro. Probably more a case of believing his own hype, inexperience, lack of fitness and potentially poor matchmaking throwing in him with a solid tough pro so soon.
I hope he learns from this and it doesn't shatter his confidence, at the end of the day he was winning the fight easy and only seemed to fall apart through exhaustion and what appeared to be some sort of injury. Lots of fighters have scares or losses early in their careers, Haye with Thompson, Nigel Benn almost lost to Logan, Lewis got stopped by McCall in the 2nd, Khan KO'ed in 30 seconds etc etc
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
2347885 wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 04:08
Damn I went through all this with David Price thinking he was going to go all the way until he showed his lack of stamina
I'm starting to think that Itauma will end up like Price, who started his career looking like God in Boxing Gloves but ended up as boxing's version of a crash test dummy.
He didn't. Anyone who followed him from the ams knew he was vulnerable around the chin.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 05:11
by Oiky
Ben needs to go, why not instruct Itauma to go for a points win? Tell him the KO is not there tonight, step off the power and just outbox him
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 05:20
by jtourettes
Kilburn wrote: ↑29 Aug 2026, 19:45
It was a hectic fight but Hrgovic never visibly hurt or discouraged Dubois at any point. Dubois beat the crap out of him in the end.
No sour grapes from me tonight, I predicted and hoped Moses would win. But his cardio was way off the mark. Hrgovic did his job well but I can’t see why anyone would see it as an impressive win.
He took the guy you were predicting to win into deep waters and drowned him. How does that not impress? Sounds like sourgrapes
samwbr wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 04:02
His management should get him away from Ben Davison, the way he spoke befoe the fight last night was incredibly arrogant and they all got taught a very harsh lesson.
What did he say? Didn't see too much pre fight stuff.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Why does Davison get blamed every single time? I can’t think of another trainer in boxing who gets held responsible for every bad performance like he does. Meanwhile Andy Lee gets praised constantly despite not having a genuinely top-level win since Parker beat Zhang in March 2024 — and he actually got outsmarted by Billy f...ing Nelson.
Davison gets blamed because he’s an idiot.
Itauma didn’t need to try & knock Hrgovic out every round.
Just keep doing enough to bank the rounds & if the KO comes it comes. He should’ve been in a position where Hrgovic was having to come forward & take risks to win the fight.
Stupid tactics tonight, stupid tactics against Dubois with Wardley, stupid tactics with Joshua against Dubois.
I don’t know what the jibe at Billy is about. Look what he did with Ricky Burns. If you give him Davison’s fighters I bet he would’ve done a better job
That assumes Itauma can just flick a switch and become a guy who calmly banks rounds. His whole game is built around explosiveness, feints and making the other man hesitant to throw because of what might come back. Once that threat fades, there isn’t much of a second layer there yet — and he doesn’t have the defence to just drop the pace, sit in range and safely nick rounds.
You can’t give Davison ownership of every defeat and none of the wins. At some point the fighter’s own limitations and decisions have to exist too.
Meanwhile Andy Lee has basically zero credible wins in the last two years and a string of defeats in important fights, but because he talks well and seems like a nice guy nobody seems remotely interested in blaming him for anything.
But what do they do in training camp? Surely there’s a discussion about what to do if he doesn’t knock him out.
He hit Hrgovic with everything in the first two rounds & he wasn’t badly hurt at any point.
Surely the fighter, the trainer or both has to think looking for the knockout with every shot might not be a good idea?
You may be right & he may struggle to box disciplined for 12 rounds but he at least find out, or at least prepare for it in the build up.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Itauma didn’t need to try & knock Hrgovic out every round.
Just keep doing enough to bank the rounds & if the KO comes it comes. He should’ve been in a position where Hrgovic was having to come forward & take risks to win the fight.
Stupid tactics tonight, stupid tactics against Dubois with Wardley, stupid tactics with Joshua against Dubois.
I don’t know what the jibe at Billy is about. Look what he did with Ricky Burns. If you give him Davison’s fighters I bet he would’ve done a better job
That assumes Itauma can just flick a switch and become a guy who calmly banks rounds. His whole game is built around explosiveness, feints and making the other man hesitant to throw because of what might come back. Once that threat fades, there isn’t much of a second layer there yet — and he doesn’t have the defence to just drop the pace, sit in range and safely nick rounds.
You can’t give Davison ownership of every defeat and none of the wins. At some point the fighter’s own limitations and decisions have to exist too.
Meanwhile Andy Lee has basically zero credible wins in the last two years and a string of defeats in important fights, but because he talks well and seems like a nice guy nobody seems remotely interested in blaming him for anything.
But what do they do in training camp? Surely there’s a discussion about what to do if he doesn’t knock him out.
He hit Hrgovic with everything in the first two rounds & he wasn’t badly hurt at any point.
Surely the fighter, the trainer or both has to think looking for the knockout with every shot might not be a good idea?
You may be right & he may struggle to box disciplined for 12 rounds but he at least find out, or at least prepare for it in the build up.
Haye did exactly that before they pushed him again.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 05:40
by gregregegg
Rewatching the last round…
Moses gassed from a huge flurry in the 8th… but in the 9th he was swinging beyond recklessly. And at that point he was never going to just chin hrg.
Will never know but I wonder what would happenen if the 9th he just got on his bike and threw the odd one to keep hrg off. Could he have recovered?
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 05:41
by veriton
forcefraser wrote: ↑30 Aug 2026, 04:51
I'd like to see Moses with an old school trainer. Someone like Sanchez or Garcia, not Ben Davidson
What was Davidson telling him in the corner? Didn't read the fight.
I don't get the Davidson hype train. Smarm over substance
Robert McCracken would be ideal to help Itauma. He needs someone who is astute without bs.
People are mentioning David Price, well I'd also throw in Pele Reid. He was going to be the next big heavyweight thing, got done over, then matched outrageously badly in his next fight and was finished.
Itauma has to forget about shortcutting his way to the top now and rebuild.
Re: Round-by-Round: Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic - 29 August 2026
Posted: 30 Aug 2026, 05:50
by mickey1975
The biggest question of the night for me is why doesn’t Keithmoonhangover call Moses Enriko?
