“That I fear?” Itauma said to talkSPORT Boxing.
After the question was repeated, the 21-year-old interrupted again.
“Did you say fear?”
Itauma eventually answered by saying he viewed boxing as a puzzle and believed proper preparation could solve any challenge put in front of him. Yet what stood out was what happened next.
The conversation had already moved on, but Itauma returned to the subject once more.
“No, I’m just shocked that you said it,” Itauma told the hosts.
For a fighter who is usually measured and composed during interviews, the exchange was notable. Itauma had no problem discussing Hrgovic’s strengths, praising the Croatian as one of the best heavyweights available and detailing the accomplishments on his résumé. The suggestion that he might fear an opponent, however, appeared to strike a different chord.
Whether it was surprise, pride, or simple disbelief, Itauma seemed unwilling to let the word pass without addressing it multiple times.
For an unbeaten heavyweight who prides himself on being supreme confidence personified, just hearing the word “fear” associated with his name was a massive jolt to his system. If he weren’t bothered, he would have just laughed it off, given a quick “I don’t fear any man” answer, and let the interview move along.
Instead, look at how he reacted:
- He completely froze and made the host repeat the question twice just to confirm he heard it right.
- He gave his standard, PR-friendly answer about boxing being a puzzle, which felt like a defensive mechanism to regain control of his thoughts.
- The ultimate giveaway is that he brought it back up after the topic had already changed.
That last part is the smoking gun. It means the question was actively simmering in his mind while they were talking about something else. He couldn’t let it go because his pride was stung. He wanted to make it crystal clear to the hosts, and anyone listening, that even suggesting he feels fear is an absurdity.
It shows that while he might view opponents as puzzles to solve, he is still a 21-year-old fighter with a lot of pride, and the media can definitely get under his skin if they hit the right nerve.
When an unbeaten prospect gets built up as the next big thing, they start living in a bubble where everyone tells them they are invincible. Itauma has been tearing through opponents, and the media has been treating him like the savior of the heavyweight division. In his own mind, he is the ultimate predator.
So when a reporter asks him if he fears anyone, it completely shatters that narrative. It forces him to look at himself through a normal, human lens, and his ego just could not process it. To him, the question itself was an insult because it implied he was vulnerable.
Itauma couldn’t handle a disruption to his image of supreme dominance. It is that exact same inability to let a perceived slight go. He had to circle back to it because his pride was dented, proving that despite all the hype, he is still human and can definitely be rattled.
The timing is interesting given the dynamic surrounding the fight. Hrgovic has spent much of the promotion pushing back against the idea that he is merely a stepping stone for boxing’s fastest-rising heavyweight prospect. Itauma, meanwhile, appears equally resistant to any suggestion that another heavyweight could occupy space in his mind as a figure to be feared.
Their August 29 showdown at London’s O2 Arena will determine which fighter’s confidence is justified. Hrgovic believes he will expose the hype surrounding the young contender, while Itauma has made it clear he views the Croatian as another obstacle to be solved rather than someone to worry about.
