Moses Itauma will step into the biggest fight of his career on August 29. The 21-year-old British heavyweight will face Filip Hrgovic at London's O2 Arena in what promoter Frank Warren has framed as a defining moment for the young fighter.
According to BBC Sport, Itauma stretched his unbeaten record to 14-0 in March with a win over Jermaine Franklin, a result that also allowed him to retain the WBA International and WBO Inter-Continental titles. That performance earned him his first headline fight against a tested international opponent.
Hrgovic, 34, brings a 21-1 professional record into the bout. The Croatian won bronze at the 2016 Olympics and has been active in recent months, stopping Dave Allen in Doncaster last month. After that fight, Hrgovic called out Itauma directly.
"This fight is the litmus test Moses is ready for and it is the one he wanted," said promoter Frank Warren.
The fight carries significant ranking implications. Itauma and Hrgovic hold first and second place in the WBO heavyweight rankings, respectively. The winner will be first in line for a shot at Daniel Dubois' WBO belt.
Hrgovic's only professional loss came against Dubois in June 2024. Since then, he has beaten three British fighters, including Joe Joyce, David Adeleye, and Allen. Itauma is a southpaw, a style Hrgovic has not faced in recent bouts.
The August 29 date was not the original plan. The fight had been targeted for July 25, but that slot was taken when fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua arranged to face Kristian Prenga on that date. The schedule shift pushed Itauma and Hrgovic to the O2 later in the summer.
