Filip Hrgović defeated 21-year-old Moses Itauma by a method knockout in the ninth circular of the IBF heavyweight belt fight, played on August 29 in the London O2 Arena. Naseem Hamed felt that the British had utilized up besides soon. The effect is brutally simple: talent without reasonable energy management was not adequate for the championship.
Itauma dictated the terms, Hrgović survived
Moses Itauma entered the ringing as a definite favourite and for most of the duel confirmed where the large expectations came from. He was faster, hit the series, and already in the second circular he sent Philip Hrgovic to the boards. However, Croat took the strongest hits of his rival, did not lose discipline and waited for the young British pace to start turning against him.
This minute has come late. Itauma first went beyond the sixth circular in his professional career. In the eighth, he started to settle but failed to break Hrgovicia. alternatively of ending the fight came utmost fatigue. The Croat returned from under the ropes and showed that in dense weight resistance, patience and cool head can weigh more than an effective advantage in the first part of the clash.
The ninth circular changed everything
In the ninth round, Hrgović went to a strong attack. Itauma hesitated at the ropes and no longer responded with earlier freedom. justice Howard Foster interrupted the match for 34 seconds before the end of the round, almost simultaneously with a towel thrown over the corner led by Ben Davison. Sky News confirmsThat after the fight, the British received oxygen, was carried out on a stretcher and went to the infirmary for research.
Hrgović won the holidayling IBF planet Heavyweight Championship and became the first Croatian with specified a belt in the royal category. After the fight, he gave his rival respect, calling himself the present, and Itauma the future. That's an accurate distinction. That evening the present mattered, and in it the 34-year-old Croatian was better prepared for a long trial.
Hamed: no reserve
Naseem Hamed, a erstwhile planet champion and 1 of the loudest supporters of Itauma's talent, did not search excuses. In an interview on air, DAZN indicated that he was amazed by the advice of a continuous attack and the deficiency of preserved reserve. In his opinion, defeat may prove to be the best lesson in a young boxer's career, as it showed him the limits of pushing a knockout at any cost. Boxing News cited Hamed's rating with a description of the collapse of the British pace.
There's no secret in this diagnosis. Itauma tried to settle the fight by force of advantage, which he actually built, but paid for deficiency of experience at the masterly distance. The corner will besides gotta answer the question whether at the right time he ordered the player to slow down. In boxing, work for a fight plan doesn't end with a fighter.
A Failure That Can Order Your Career
Itauma lost his chance to become the youngest British planet champion and the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson. But he did not lose his talent or time. She is 21 years old, and the first professional defeat exposed a concrete lack: preparation for a fight in which the rival does not fall despite taking the best punches.
For sport, it is simply a valuable lesson in hard reality. large announcements, sports courses and media aura do not win rounds. Hrgović did what a mature master should do: he survived the resistance, recognized the weakness of his opponent and utilized it without hesitation. Itauma may return stronger if he treats this evening not as harm, but as a bill for haste.
Sources: Boxing News, Sky News, DAZN.
