Itauma vs Hrgovic: Briton Punches Himself Out and is Stopped in Round Nine – BBC Sport
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Boxing: Filip Hrgovic Rips Up Script, Shatters Moses Itauma’s World-Title Dream
By Kal Sajad, BBC Sport boxing journalist at O2 Arena, London
Published 29 August 2026, Updated 44 minutes ago
Filip Hrgovic (left) ripped up the script and shattered Moses Itauma’s world-title dream as the Briton appeared to punch himself out in an extraordinary heavyweight contest in London.
Itauma, 21, controlled most of the fight and scored a second-round knockdown but faded as his relentless output caught up with him.
Hrgovic weathered the storm and piled on the pressure in the ninth. With Itauma barely able to stand, his legs unsteady, and body swaying before slumping in the corner, his team threw in the towel.
Itauma—who needed medical attention before leaving the arena on a stretcher—had been a heavy favourite after tearing through his first 14 opponents and was spoken about as heavyweight boxing’s next superstar.
"He is the best I have been in the ring with, but he needs more experience," Hrgovic said. “I knew I was losing the round, but I knew that I had the pace in my favour. He needs more experience, but he is one of a kind."
With the vacant IBF title on the line, victory would have made Itauma the second-youngest world champion in the division’s history.
Instead, his inexperience began to show as his Croatian opponent—an Olympic bronze medallist whose only previous professional defeat came against Daniel Dubois—survived everything Itauma threw at him before completing a remarkable turnaround.
Wardley-Dubois Rematch Set for 17 October in London | Relive Hrgovic’s Dramatic Stoppage Win Over Itauma to Claim IBF Heavyweight Title – Reaction
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