Moses Itauma‘s heavyweight showdown with Filip Hrgovic has been upgraded to a world title fight — and Eddie Hearn has delivered his final prediction, backing the 21-year-old as a “massive favourite” to walk out of the O2 as champion.
The pair were already scheduled to collide at London’s O2 Arena on August 29, but the bout is now reportedly for a vacant IBF world title after promoter Frank Warren struck a deal for mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez to step aside — with Sanchez in line to face the winner. You can read exactly when Itauma and Hrgovic meet at the O2 in our full fight-night guide.
Why Eddie Hearn is backing Moses Itauma
It is a steep step up for the unbeaten Itauma, who has looked like a generational talent — but has done so against largely limited opposition, the pick of them a five-round stoppage of Jermaine Franklin in March. Hrgovic is a proven world-level operator whose only defeat came on cuts against Daniel Dubois in 2024. Even so, speaking to IFL TV and as carried by Boxing News Online, the Matchroom promoter had no doubts.
I think it’s a good bit of business from Frank Warren. Obviously they’ve managed to get Frank Sanchez to step aside, and I think he has to fight the winner. I think Moses is a massive favourite and, if he wins, he becomes world heavyweight champion.
Victory would be historic for the 21-year-old, whose meteoric rise has already invited comparisons with a young Mike Tyson. First, though, he has to get past a live, world-class opponent in Hrgovic on the biggest night of his short career.
