Moses Itauma, 21, will face Filip Hrgovic, 34, at the O2 Arena in London Saturday for the vacant IBF heavyweight title [1, 2, 3]. The fight is scheduled to start with ring walks between 22:00 and 22:30 BST, with the card opening at 18:30 BST [3].
Itauma enters the bout undefeated with a 14-0 professional record featuring 12 knockouts. Hrgovic is a seasoned challenger with a 20-1 record and 15 knockouts [1, 2]. A win for Itauma would make him the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson claimed the title in 1986 [1, 3].
The IBF title is vacant following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate it in June. Frank Sanchez is expected to become mandatory challenger after a step-aside agreement [3].
The weigh-in on August 28 saw heightened tensions when Itauma shoved Hrgovic off the stage and the Croatian responded by slapping Itauma [3]. Despite the flare-up, Itauma stressed his focus is on beating Hrgovic rather than on the potential records or money. "If I'm not going to beat Hrgovic, it doesn't matter about the world title or the money," he said [2].
Itauma is regarded as a skilled southpaw known for speed, power, and early knockouts [1, 2, 3]. Hrgovic holds a reputation as an experienced and tough competitor, having earned bronze at the 2016 Olympics, making this a significant step up for the younger fighter [1, 2]. Boxing veterans Prince Naseem Hamed and Carl Frampton have tipped Itauma as the favorite but acknowledge the challenge posed by Hrgovic’s resilience and power [1]. Tony Bellew called it an interesting stylistic fight that could either end quickly or become a gruelling test for Itauma [1].
The fight will be broadcast on DAZN with pay-per-view prices set at $59.99 in the US and £24.99 in the UK [3].
