Moses Itauma says one of the toughest moments of his training camp came not in the ring on fight night, but during a revenge-fueled sparring session with veteran heavyweight Mariusz Wach.
The unbeaten 21-year-old is preparing for the biggest fight of his career against Filip Hrgovic on August 29 at the O2 Arena in London. Looking back at previous camps, Itauma revealed one sparring partner arrived with more than preparation on his mind.
“For the Dillian Whyte fight I had Mariusz Wach in [camp],” Itauma said to DAZN. “He didn’t even ask how much I was going to pay him; he didn’t even ask where he was going to stay. That guy just came for revenge.”
Wach had been stopped by Itauma in the second round of their professional fight in December 2024, and the young heavyweight believes the Polish veteran was determined to settle the score during sparring.
“I’d done six rounds with two sparring partners, then Mariusz Wach jumped in, and this guy was trying to take my head off,” Itauma said.
Itauma has repeatedly described his training camps as being tougher than many of his fights. That was again the case before his March victory over Jermaine Franklin, whom he dropped twice before stopping in the fifth round.
His next assignment represents a significant step up in competition. Hrgovic enters the August 29 bout as a former world title challenger and Olympic bronze medalist, making him the most accomplished opponent of Itauma’s career. A victory would further strengthen the unbeaten British contender’s push toward a heavyweight world title shot.
Moses Itauma really has former opponents coming back for sparring, not asking the fee & wanting revenge 😂#ItaumaHrgovic | Aug 29 | Watch only on DAZN pic.twitter.com/SzOtqsAJ9A
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 1, 2026
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Last Updated on 2026/07/05 at 3:29 AM
