Moses Itauma has blown through almost everything put in front of him so far, but tonight’s meeting with Filip Hrgovic should finally answer some of the questions that remain around the young heavyweight.
The 21-year-old has made rapid progress through the division, with his speed, timing and finishing ability earning widespread praise, but he has rarely been forced into the kind of prolonged, physical fight that can reveal more about a heavyweight contender.
Former British and Commonwealth champion David Price believes Hrgovic is therefore the perfect opponent at this stage of Itauma’s career, even if he still expects the unbeaten prospect to come through. Speaking to Seconds Out and Duke McKenzie in partnership with Bet Select, Price said:
“It’s the ideal fight for Itauma. Everyone he’s been in with, he’s just wiped the floor with them … We’re looking for someone to give him a test, and I think Filip Hrgovic could be the one to do that.
“I do believe Hrgovic is gonna land. We want to see [Itauma] take a punch. Apart from that, he seems to have everything.
“Yeah [I think Ituama wins]. There’s always that chance, especially in heavyweight, upsets happen all the time, but it does feel like he’s the real deal. It would be a massive shock [if Hrgovic wins.]”
Price’s assessment reflects the wider intrigue around the contest. Hrgovic may not be widely fancied to win, but his size, durability and experience should give Itauma a different type of examination to the ones he has faced so far.
For Itauma, victory would see him become the second youngest heavyweight world champion ever. If Hrgovic springs the upset, he will become the first Croatian to capture the belt.
