Moses Itauma had knocked down Filip Hrgovic in the second round. He had landed combinations that made the crowd gasp at almost every punch. He had been called boxing's next superstar. By the ninth round, he could barely stand.
Hrgovic, a Croatian boxer and Olympic bronze medallist, threw in a remarkable comeback to stop the 21-year-old Briton when Itauma's corner threw in the towel. The IBF heavyweight title was on the line at the O2 Arena in London. Victory would have made Itauma the second-youngest world champion in the division's history, according to BBC Sport.
Itauma had entered the fight as a heavy favourite after going unbeaten through his first 14 opponents. He had boxed just 26 professional rounds before Saturday night, and it showed. By the end of the third round, he was already breathing heavily. Hrgovic, known for his durability, weathered the early storm and began applying pressure as Itauma's output dropped.
"From the first round, I saw his gassing out. He started fast. I knew he was going to gas out. I knew when my chance came I needed to push. That is what I did," Hrgovic said after the fight.
In the ninth, with Itauma's legs unsteady and his body swaying before he slumped in the corner, his team pulled him out. Itauma required medical attention and left the arena on a stretcher.
The build-up had been fiery. Itauma shoved Hrgovic during the pre-fight week, and Hrgovic slapped him back. Hrgovic made his entrance first to a wall of boos inside the arena. Itauma walked out to a roar, taking his time and soaking in the reception. Oasis star Noel Gallagher and boxing legend Prince Naseem Hamed were ringside.
Hrgovic's only previous professional defeat came against Daniel Dubois. He had been doubted coming in, but he showed patience and pace management that Itauma, with his limited professional experience, could not match.
"He is the best I have been in the ring with, but he needs more experience. I knew I was losing the round, but I knew that I had the pace in my favour. He needs more experience, but he is one of a kind," Hrgovic said.
Itauma's chin had also been an open question entering the fight, simply because it had never been seriously tested at the professional level. Hrgovic began landing heavier shots as the rounds progressed, and while Itauma absorbed them and fired back early, he had little left when it mattered most.
