Teddy Atlas has offered some of his wisdom to Moses Itauma in regards to who the young heavyweight talent should be targeting next.
Itauma has taken the boxing world by storm in a short space of time. The 20-year-old has had 13 fights and won all of them, with 11 by impressive knockout, and nine of those all coming inside the first two rounds.
Last time out, he stepped up and took on Dillian Whyte, a former world title challenger and notoriously tough opponent, but again he dispatched him inside the first two minutes.
In the ring afterwards, he was keen to announce himself ready to face two-time undisputed great Oleksandr Usyk, and now Atlas has weighed in with his thoughts.
Speaking to Grosvenor Casinos, Atlas offered him some more sensible matchmaking tips and said Filip Hrgovic is an ideal next opponent.
“Itauma needs someone who will take him some rounds and ask him some questions that need to be answered, not for us, for him. He needs a guy like Hrgovic because he’s got a good chin, he’s a little too easy to hit sometimes, I get it, but he’s a big guy.
“He’s probably not as good a puncher as Joshua. He’s a big guy, he can hurt you obviously, but I don’t think he’s that level of a puncher.
“I’m not saying he can’t punch, anyone that big can deliver with force. But I don’t think he’s one of those special hit you on top of the head, fracture your ankle type punchers.”
Hrgovic is said to have been approached about the fight in December having beaten David Adeleye on the undercard of Itauma vs Whyte. Should he accept, he will likely step through the ropes a considerable underdog against the man most are tipping for greatness.
The Croatian heavyweight accelerated his career with a controversial win over Zhilei Zhang in 2022, however a loss to Daniel Dubois two years later, and inactivity, altered his standing in the division. Whether he wants to risk consecutive wins against Joe Joyce and Adeleye by stepping in with Itauma remains to be seen.
