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21-year-old Itauma stopped after ninth-round rally
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Global — Donald McRae at the O2 Arena
21-year-old Itauma stopped after ninth-round rally
34-year-old Hrgovic is first Croat to win such a title
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Moses Itauma’s hopes of becoming the second-youngest world heavyweight champion in history lay in ruins after the extraordinarily tough and resilient Filip Hrgovic stopped him in the ninth round of their IBF title fight. Yet, until the latter stages of round eight, the sheer speed and dextrous power of the Briton had dominated the contest, with the Croat being dropped in the second and caught again and again by jolting combinations.
The fight changed course when Itauma’s stamina suddenly dipped and he began to weave in woozy fatigue as Hrgovic fought back with granite-like determination. Itauma could not withstand the dark storm rolling over him in the ninth and he sank back against the ropes as Hrgovic opened up with renewed conviction. Just as the referee stepped in to stop the fight, Ben Davison, Itauma’s trainer, also sent a white towel sailing sadly over the listing ropes to save his man from a knockout.
34-year-old Hrgovic is first Croat to win such a title
This report is published with credit to The Guardian. Full available text from the wire is above. Read on The Guardian →
Source: The Guardian · Donald McRae at the O2 Arena. Published 29 Aug 2026, 11:40 pm.
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