Stevenson and Bellew Back Moses Itauma to Become World Champion After Hrgovic Loss
- Moses Itauma still possesses the talent required to become a heavyweight world champion despite suffering his first professional defeat against Filip Hrgovic, according to boxing figures Shakur Stevenson...
- The 21-year-old Chatham fighter stepped into the ring holding a perfect record of 14 wins.
- Hype surrounding Itauma built rapidly after he won his professional debut in just 23 seconds in January 2023.
Moses Itauma still possesses the talent required to become a heavyweight world champion despite suffering his first professional defeat against Filip Hrgovic, according to boxing figures Shakur Stevenson and Tony Bellew.
Stall in Chatham’s Title Bid
The 21-year-old Chatham fighter stepped into the ring holding a perfect record of 14 wins. The young contender set his sights on becoming the second-youngest heavyweight world champion of all-time and Britain’s second-youngest world champion. However, a lack of experience against the seasoned 34-year-old Hrgovic ultimately proved decisive.
Rapid Rise to Contention
Hype surrounding Itauma built rapidly after he won his professional debut in just 23 seconds in January 2023. A string of highlight knockouts saw him win 12 of his previous 14 bouts inside six rounds, propelling him swiftly to world-title level. Despite falling short against Hrgovic, prominent fighters in the sport argue that the young contender will benefit heavily from the setback.
Stevenson Backs Raw Speed
Four-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson offered immediate encouragement to the defeated prospect on social media.
Unbelievable talent and skills. He’s young and will be a champion one day if he learns from that. Delivering every shot at a blistering 100mph can prove both advantageous and detrimental, particularly within the heavyweight division!
Shakur Stevenson
Bellew Praises Grit and Courage
Fellow Briton Tony Bellew, who was a cruiserweight world champion but ended his career at heavyweight, similarly pointed toward a bright future for Itauma. Bellew praised the resilience shown by the younger fighter under heavy pressure.
Moses Itauma will be world champion! He will learn so much from tonight. The most striking takeaway from this evening is simply how courageous and resilient Moses was, knowing full well that Filip was exceptionally tough. This evening we discovered that Moses possesses equal toughness, and once he masters managing the pace of a 12-round contest, he is destined to dominate for an extended period! Filip Hrgovic’s chin needs to studied.
Tony Bellew