Filip Hrgovic Stops Moses Itauma in Round Nine

Filip Hrgovic produced one of the most remarkable recoveries seen in a British ring for years when he stopped an exhausted Moses Itauma after 2min 27sec of the ninth round to win the vacant IBF heavyweight championship at London’s O2 Arena.

For eight rounds, the 34-year-old Croatian had been comprehensively outboxed by a young southpaw apparently travelling towards history. Itauma, only 21, was attempting to become the second-youngest world heavyweight champion, behind Mike Tyson. Instead, his unbeaten record disappeared in a collapse as sudden as it was dramatic.

Itauma, weighing 241.7lb to Hrgovic’s 232.6lb, began with the speed and composure which had carried him through 14 professional contests without defeat. His feet were quicker, his punches arrived from sharper angles, and Hrgovic struggled to bring his ponderous right hand into play.

The first round belonged comfortably to Itauma, who moved around the larger man and landed sweeping shots from his southpaw stance. Hrgovic followed him dutifully but ineffectively, resembling a man pursuing a bus which had already left the stop.

Seconds into the second, Hrgovic walked onto a short check right hook and pitched forward, touching a glove to the canvas. It was correctly ruled a knockdown, and he received a count of eight. Itauma attempted to finish the matter with another rapid combination, but Hrgovic survived and landed enough late in the round to demonstrate that he had not entirely misplaced his ambition.

Itauma resumed command in the third, snapping back Hrgovic’s head with the left hand before driving punches into the body. His hand speed was bewildering the Croatian, who was taking far too long to set himself and was being punished whenever he moved into range. Ringside punch figures at that stage credited Itauma with 40 power punches to Hrgovic’s solitary success.

Hrgovic nevertheless kept advancing. It was not pretty and, for long periods, it was not especially productive, but it forced Itauma to work continually. The young Briton was winning rounds while spending energy at a rate he had never previously been required to consider.

A short left pierced Hrgovic’s guard in the fifth, and an uppercut on the bell jolted back the Croatian’s head. Yet signs showed Itauma’s apparently effortless control was becoming more expensive. His mouth was open, his breathing heavier, and he had to replace his gumshield with his glove.

Hrgovic was cut around the right eye in the sixth, but he continued trudging forward and landed several heavy punches before the bell. Itauma fired back impressively, although the exchange served Hrgovic’s long-term purpose. The Croatian could not match his opponent’s speed, so he was attempting to make youth pay for every moment of brilliance.

The seventh represented unknown territory for Itauma, who had never previously boxed beyond six rounds. He appeared to answer that question by again driving Hrgovic backwards with quick combinations. But Hrgovic, hardened by longer contests and his punishing defeat by Daniel Dubois, absorbed the blows and remained directly in front of him.

Itauma launched another fierce attack in the eighth and landed repeatedly, but the effort almost emptied him. With roughly 40 seconds remaining, his legs began to betray him. Hrgovic finally found a stationary target and retaliated as Itauma weaved unsteadily. The youngster had dominated the round, yet returned to his corner looking like the man in greater trouble.

The statistics illustrated the extraordinary imbalance before the finish. Itauma led 146-61 in total punches landed through eight rounds, according to CompuBox. It was a commanding lead which proved as useful as a railway ticket after the final train had departed.

Hrgovic attacked immediately in the ninth. A right hand drove Itauma backwards and the Croatian, suddenly rejuvenated, followed with heavy punches from both hands. Itauma no longer had the legs to escape or the strength to hold on. Pinned near the ropes, he absorbed a succession of unanswered blows as Hrgovic landed 28 of 54 power punches in the round.

The referee moved in at virtually the same moment that Ben Davison threw the towel from Itauma’s corner. There could be no complaint. Itauma had nothing left and required protection. He subsequently left the ring on a stretcher with an apparent knee injury, although the decisive damage had been inflicted by fatigue and Hrgovic’s relentless pressure. The official ending came at 2:27 of the ninth.

Hrgovic became Croatia’s first world heavyweight champion and admitted afterwards that he believed he had been losing every round. His honesty was difficult to dispute. But boxing matches are not awarded after eight rounds when twelve have been scheduled, and the Croatian’s experience, stamina and considerable courage eventually outweighed Itauma’s superior skill.

It was a harsh lesson for the young Briton, not a career sentence. His speed, timing and power were confirmed at world level, but so was the danger of trying to overwhelm an opponent who would not go away. Hrgovic had warned that the championship might have come too soon for Itauma. After eight rounds, this statement looked foolish. Less than three minutes later, it looked prophetic.

I sat watching this fight in shock, but in reality I should have known better. I’ve been around men like Filip Hrgovic. I’ve seen them take punches that most human beings could not. I’ve seen them walk through hell to get to a certain point in a fight, the only point they need to get to for victory. What I’ve never been around is a 21-year-old with this degree of ability. They don’t come around too often, and we mustn’t forget what happened for those first eight rounds. We saw a kind of talent that we hadn’t seen before.

I know Itauma will wake up this morning and feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, but this might be the best thing that could happen to him because I believe those with that degree of talent cannot be taught this lesson with words. Only experience teaches you these lessons, whether they be in the gym or under the bright lights.

What matters now is how he processes what happened, takes the lessons from it, and comes back with a more seasoned approach to men like Hrgovic. And while we talk about the big Croatian, let’s just say there aren’t many like him around either. The man is a rock. Everything about him oozes toughness: the will to win under any circumstances, the ability to walk through fire. He must be given his props for this win, becoming Croatia’s first-ever World Heavyweight Champion. He very much deserves his place in history.

Watching live, I couldn't hear the instructions Itauma was getting in his corner. Whatever the outcome of this fight, he may have to think about training with a more conventional trainer.

If I had been in that corner after five rounds, I would have had him boxing for a 12-round win. By that point, it was clear Hrgovic wasn't going to capitulate. He took Itauma’s best shots over and over again, and these punches did nothing to him. He wasn’t slowing down, and he wasn’t showing any distress. Sure, he was being outboxed 10 to 1, but he wasn’t ever seriously hurt at that point.

Any trainer that’s been in this position knows this is not a man you’re not going to knock out. Go for the 12-round win, pace yourself, and take your time. Did he get those instructions and ignore them? I hope not, but if he got instructions to go and finish this fight, they were ill-judged.

You can only imagine the interviews and accusations that are going to come out this week over Ben Davison and Lee Wiley’s Corner work.