Moses Itauma reflects on technical knockout loss to Filip Hrgovic

British heavyweight Moses Itauma has reflected on his first professional defeat, which occurred during his August 29 fight against Filip Hrgovic in London for the vacant IBF heavyweight title. Itauma, 21, dominated much of the bout and held a significant lead on the judges' scorecards through the early rounds.

However, Itauma experienced a sudden loss of stamina, stating that his body began to fail him as Hrgovic maintained pressure. The fight ended in the ninth round when Hrgovic secured a technical knockout victory. Itauma noted that he did not realize how much strength he had lost until the final minute before the stoppage, describing a sensation of moving in slow motion while his opponent became faster.

Following the match, Hrgovic offered encouragement to the young fighter, describing Itauma as a “special kid” and a “very talented, very quick” athlete. Hrgovic advised Itauma’s team that the boxer must not give up and should continue working toward his goals, noting that the loss does not have to define his career.