Filip Hrgovic was left with a headache that lasted several days after beating Moses Itauma to win the vacant IBF heavyweight title in August. The headache, caused by taking full-force punch after full-force punch from the rapid-fire 21-year-old, even left Hrgovic unwilling to celebrate his momentous victory.
In one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent heavyweight history, Hrgovic got up from an early knockdown and, by most observers’ reckoning, was at least seven points behind as he went into the ninth round.
That ninth round, which would be the final round of the fight, was somehow answered by Hrgovic as if it was the first. Off his stool early and aware his own blows – coupled with Itauma’s creeping exhaustion – were having a grave effect, the battered and bruised Hrgovic walked through the last of what his opponent could muster to force an end to the fight.
Hrgovic, 21-1 (16 KOs), praised Itauma in the aftermath. But for the next three days the 34-year-old from Croatia could do very little but nurse his own wounds.
“I felt fucked up,” said Hrgovic on a media call on Wednesday. “I received a lot of shots and I was bruised. I had a bit of a headache for a few days. On the Wednesday after the fight I was back in the gym, working out already, but for a few days I felt really tired and bruised, with some headaches.
“I didn’t celebrate. I just went home to rest. It was such a hard fight I didn’t even do my tradition after I win, when I go to McDonald’s. I didn’t have the strength.”
With time to reflect on the fight, Hrgovic remains in awe of Itauma’s ability. The Croat, a 2016 Olympic medallist whose only pro loss came to Daniel Dubois in 2024, admits he’s never faced anyone so talented or difficult to beat.
“He’s really good,” said Hrgovic of Itauma. “He’s special. Very fast, very talented and he countered whatever I tried with his speed and timing.
“I never was in the ring before with such a talented kid, with such a fast guy. You have some fast guys but they’re small heavyweights. You can handle them with your power but this kid is fast and big. He’s got great IQ and great talent.
“I’m still kind of angry because he outboxed me. In my whole career, in 20 years of boxing, I was never outboxed in any sparring or any fight.”
“It was big shock for him, big humiliation, so maybe it’s end of his career if he’s not mentally tough. If he recovers from this loss, mentally, it will be hard for anyone to ever beat him again.
“A lot of people after that kind of loss, they never come back. So, it will be a hard journey for him to come back.
“You have to go through a ruthless, hard training camp. You need to go through hell to be mentally ready for this. I think he was physically ready but it’s the mental part.”
