British boxing sensation Moses Itauma will seek to become the second-youngest heavyweight champion in history when he faces Filip Hrgovic on Saturday night.
The vacant IBF title is on the line at London’s O2 Arena.
As the interminable wait for long-time rivals Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to lock in a date for the defining superfight that never was, fans in the UK hope to see the coronation of a new king in Itauma.
The 21-year-old carved out a fearsome reputation as an undefeated amateur who engaged in already legendary sparring wars with established pros while still in his mid-teens. Under the glare of expectation, he has progressed flawlessly in the paid ranks.
Heavyweight gatekeeper Jermaine Franklin was clinically dispatched over five masterful rounds in Manchester last time out, while Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) has taken care of Mariusz Wach, Mike Balogun, Dempsey McKean and Dillian Whyte in quick time over the past two years.
Hrgovic (20-1, 15 KOs) is unquestionably a significant step up in class. A fine amateur himself, the Croatian never quite made good on his days as the division’s next big thing, but he is a consensus top-five heavyweight in the world and is on a three-fight winning run since his sole career loss to current WBO champion Daniel Dubois in June 2024.
The Sporting News has everything you need before betting on the main event and also gives you a look into the intriguing undercard. Plus, new users can bet $5 on the the fight card and get $200 in Bonus Bets instantly at DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic prediction: Who will win?
Hrgovic has warmed to his role as the bad guy this week, perhaps conditioned by the fact this is his fifth consecutive outing against a British fighter. He followed the Dubois loss with impressive triumphs over Joe Joyce and David Adelaye before a three-round blowout against overmatched folk hero Dave Allen earlier this year.
He will know Itauma’s combination of abilities makes him a vastly different proposition to his compatriots and the 34-year-old has sought to make the gulf in age and experience a talking point during the build-up. Having repeatedly called Itauma a “kid” he pledged to “send him back to high school” at this week’s pre-fight press conference.
It’d be a serviceable zinger, if not for the well-told stories of Itauma turning up at gyms in his school uniform and giving the likes of former cruiserweight world champion Lawrence Okolie as good as they got in sparring. Itauma has already shown there is considerable substance to back up the mythology, and this is worth bearing in mind heading into the biggest test of his career.
It’s true to say that Moses has not yet been through a crisis in the prize ring; there’s been no gut-check, as hard-bitten observers of a brutal trade like to call it. But that’s not necessarily because Itauma has been matched softly. He’s just been far too good for everyone he’s faced. He might end up being far too good for Hrgovic too.
Those teenage gym wars laid the foundations for Itauma to dazzle under the bright lights. Hrgovic surely doesn’t expect a callow youth. If he does, he’s likely in for a rude awakening. ‘El Animal’ possesses a mean left jab and chopping right hand. If he secures a showreel upset, these will be the tools of victory. He also puts punches together impressively for such a big man, and gets through a lot of work.
However, this output can tend towards being one-paced. He can also be defensively slack. Hrgovic was ahead on the cards when Dubois busted him up and stopped him on cuts, Zhilei Zhang sent him to the canvas and Adelaye had more success than he should have done over the course of a brutal 10-rounder.
Itauma thinks like a middleweight and moves like a light-heavyweight. Throw in his southpaw skills and lightning hand speed, and the Oleksandr Usyk comparisons are obvious. Presuming the two never meet as Usyk winds his career down, an impressive win this weekend might come to be viewed as the moment the torch passes to Itauma.
Hrgovic will not fold. He’s a tough, elite heavyweight, but he will be hit hard and often from an array of angles he and most other boxing big men are completely unused to. Cuts could once again come into play, with Itauma closing the show a little after halfway.
Fight prediction: Moses Itauma to win via 7th-round TKO
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Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic undercard
Here’s a breakdown of all the action on the Itauma vs. Hrgovic main card.
Constantin Ursu vs. Ben Vaughan
- Division/Weight: Welterweight
- Ursu record: 15-0
- Vaughan record: 12-2
- Belts at stake: British and Commonwealth
Ursu is on the crest of a wave, having added the British title to his Commonwealth strap with a dominant 12-round win over Owen Cooper.
Southpaw Vaughan is an easy night’s work for no one, with his only two career defeats coming against Ekow Essuman and the then-undefeated Bobby Dalton.
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Sam Noakes vs. Denys Berinchyk
- Division/Weight: Lightweight
- Noakes record: 18-1
- Berinchyk record: 19-1
Maidstone knockout artist Noakes outperformed expectations when he pushed American rising star Abdullah Mason close in their instant classic 12-rounder for the vacant WBO title last November.
He returned to winning ways as he routinely dispatched journeyman Benito Sanchez Garcia, although the well-schooled Berinchyk presents a different assignment entirely.
A member of Ukraine’s feted 2012 Olympic team alongside the likes of Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko, Berinchyk became a world champion in his own right when he defeated Mexican great Emanuel Navarrete in May 2024. A brutal defeat to Keyshawn Davis followed in February last year, and Berinchyk has not boxed since.
If the 38-year-old has anything like his best form left in the tank, we could be in for a cracker.
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Nelson Hysa vs. Thomas Narmo
- Division/Weight: Heavyweight
- Hysa record: 24-0
- Narmo record: 14-0
- Belts at stake: WBO Global
A month on from Kristian Prenga coming from within a couple of punches of shocking the world, Hysa is another big-punching Albanian heavyweight back in action with a startling KO record and a modest resume.
Of Hysa’s 24 wins, 22 have come inside the distance. All of the wins chalked up by Norway’s Narmo have come by KO too, although one-time Hrgovic punchbag Mark de Mori is probably the best name on his record.
Ahead of the heavyweight fine-dining promised by the main event, this should be a fast-food slugfest for as long as it lasts. Very enjoyable as it happens, perhaps tinged with regret afterwards.
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Guido Vianello vs. Moses Jolly
- Division/Weight: Heavyweight
- Vianello record: 14-3
- Jolly record: 12-0
Another addition to Queenberry’s bulging heavyweight stable, Vianello has been matched toughly during a pro career that shows a victory over Arslanbek Makhmuhdov and competitive losses to Efe Ajagba and Richard Torres Jr.
The undefeated Jolly has not mixed in such company. The Welshman went viral with some in-ring gymnastics during the open workout. Vianello will be aiming to reacquaint him with the canvas in a more painful fashion. Perhaps the Italian will get the Hysa vs. Narmo winner next.
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