Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew thinks Moses Itauma will win against Filip Hrgovic if they fight again. This comes weeks after Hrgovic handed the British-Nigerian fighter his first loss as a pro, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
Hrgovic surprised many last month when he stopped Itauma in the ninth round. This victory earned him the vacant IBF heavyweight title at the O2 Arena in London. With this win, he became Croatia’s first heavyweight world champion.
Itauma was seen as a future star. He could have been the second-youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history. He knocked Hrgovic down in the second round and did well for much of the fight. But he lost steam in the later rounds, leading to the fight being stopped in the ninth round.
After the fight, Itauma immediately asked for a rematch.
On the Fight Your Corner Podcast, Bellew expressed confidence in the 21-year-old. He believes Itauma can even the score in a second fight. Bellew thinks Itauma's technical skills will give him an edge, even if he is at a physical disadvantage against Hrgovic.
“I think that he beats Filip Hrgovic in a rematch. I just think that he is technically so good. Did Hrgovic hurt Itauma the first time? I don’t think he did; I think he was just exhausted,” Bellew said.
Itauma has made it clear he wants to face Hrgovic again. But reports say that Hrgovic, born in Zagreb, will defend his IBF title against Cuba’s Frank Sanchez. Sanchez is the mandatory challenger for the belt and had stepped aside to let Itauma and Hrgovic fight for the vacant title.
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