Itauma finally makes peace with first defeat: ‘I was an arm’s length from greatness’

In August, the 21-year-old was on course for victory as he pounded Filip Hrgovic in the early stages of their IBF title fight in London. — File pic via X

First Published: Saturday, 17 Oct 2026 10:43 AM MYT

LONDON, Oct 17 — British boxing rising star Moses Itauma said yesterday he had finally come to terms with his first professional defeat after narrowly failing in his quest to become a heavyweight world champion.

In August, the 21-year-old was on course for victory as he pounded Filip Hrgovic in the early stages of their IBF title fight in London.

But Itauma ran out of steam in his quest to become boxing’s second-youngest heavyweight champion of all time behind Mike Tyson and he was stopped in the ninth round by his resilient Croatian opponent.

Itauma, speaking at the launch of Club Eight 3 gym in Chatham, said he had no regrets about bidding for “greatness” by trying to knock out Hrgovic.

“For a long time I couldn’t accept the fact that it happened because I was winning the fight so comfortably,” said Itauma. “I was so far ahead on the scorecards and then all of a sudden your body just starts shutting itself down.”

He added: “I was at an arm’s length away from so much greatness and that was the experience that I needed to have.”

While Itauma intends to learn from his experience as he looks to return to action in a 2027 where the likes of fellow British boxers Daniel Dubois, as well as the winner of the Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua clash, could be involved in the heavyweight scene, he has no plans to radically alter his approach.

“All the way until a minute before the fight stopped I didn’t have a worry,” he said. “It was only maybe the last couple of minutes of round nine that things just started to go.

“I started moving in slow motion and he was in fast motion. And then it was like I just couldn’t do anything.

“The exhaustion had obviously kicked in. But at no point in that fight was I like, ‘oh, I’m messing up’. I still tried.

“Nine times out of 10, when people come up to me on the streets, they’re like, ‘it was a good fight’. And although I didn’t get the decision, boxing’s entertainment and I entertained. Congratulations to Filip Hrgovic.” — AFP