Saturday, August 29 could be a monumental day for heavyweight boxing, as rising British star Moses Itauma seeks to emulate Mike Tyson and become the youngest champion in the weight class since the American. In his way stands Croatian veteran Filip Hrgović, but the 21-year-old is feeling bullish about his chances.
Itauma’s comment that he would “bet his house” on a knockout finish is reflected in the latest odds provided by the best sportsbooks recommended by Action Network. All have the Briton as a clear favorite and believe that he is well positioned to capture gold for the first time in his career.
And while Hrgović boasts a remarkable resume that features just one loss to Daniel Dubois, there’s a good reason why Itauma is so heavily favored. He has all the intangibles to not just dominate in this fight, but at the heavyweight level for many years to come.
Angles, speed, and power: Itauma is the complete package
At the core of Itauma’s success is his southpaw stance, which makes him a trickier proposition from the start. Leading with his right hand opens up several angles against orthodox fighters, particularly his left cross and overhand, which he used to good effect to finish Demsey McKean at the end of 2024.
But powerful shots and a southpaw stance mean nothing without other fundamentals. Itauma loves to break his opponents down with excellent bodywork, using shots to the midriff in his most recent bout against Jermaine Franklin to lower the American’s guard, before eventually throwing powerful shots to knock him down in the third and finish him in the fifth. A similar plan could be used against the 6’6” Hrgović, who deploys a high guard in contests.
Throw in his hand speed, and you’ve got a recipe for a complete fighter. Itauma sets the pace of fights early on and can overwhelm opponents with quick combinations that fighters like Dillian Whyte have struggled against. And if he’s looking for an opening, he’s an excellent counter-puncher, able to react to a jab and then use one of his own to put fighters on the back foot.
Can Itauma adapt if Hrgović tests him?
As with any young fighter, though, there are lingering questions. Hrgović has stated in the buildup to the fight that Itauma’s previous opponents have allowed the Briton’s physical prowess to dominate and has questioned whether he can adapt when faced with a different proposition.
The Croatian has studied how he can exploit any patterns in Itauma’s previous fights, which have typically all gone one way. Then there’s the question of what might happen if Hrgović survives the early onslaught and drags him into deep waters.
While the Olympic bronze medalist has beaten seasoned veterans like Zhilei Zhang, Joe Joyce, and David Adeleye by unanimous decision after 10 or more rounds, Itauma has only ever fought a maximum of six rounds against Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko and Kevin Espíndola. His durability, unlike Hrgović’s, is untested, but his next bout is an opportunity to silence those who question whether he can go the distance.
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash
