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Filip Hrgovic in boxing pose, charcoal portrait
HEAVYWEIGHT

Hrgovic Vows To Throw Itauma Out Of The Ring As Final Presser Turns Spiky

Two days out from the biggest British heavyweight fight of the year, Filip Hrgovic went full pantomime villain in London — and Moses Itauma answered with the calm of a man twice his age.

By • August 27, 2026 By
  • Filip Hrgovic told this week's London press conference he plans to throw Moses Itauma out of the ring on Saturday night at the O2
  • The Croatian also jabbed at history, claiming “Moses never reached the promised land” — while Itauma calmly called it his toughest fight to date
  • The vacant IBF heavyweight title is on the line this Saturday, August 29, live on DAZN PPV

The Talking Is Nearly Done

Right then — if you wanted needle before Itauma vs Hrgovic, the final press conference in London delivered it by the bucketload. Filip Hrgovic sat there in front of the assembled media this week and told the room exactly what he intends to do to Moses Itauma at the O2 on Saturday night: “I think I'm going to throw him out of the ring.”

He was not finished either. “History said that Moses never reached the promised land and history repeats,” the Croatian added, reaching for the Old Testament to needle a 21-year-old. Say what you like about Hrgovic — and I have — the man has come to London to fight, not to collect a cheque.

Itauma's Answer Was The Telling Bit

And what did the kid do? He shrugged. “This is a big test. Of course, it's my toughest fight,” Itauma said, plain as you like. No shouting, no shoving, no gold-chain theatrics. Brilliant, that. A 21-year-old two days from the biggest night of his life, giving the pantomime absolutely nothing to feed on.

Make no mistake, Hrgovic is right about one thing: this is levels above anything Itauma has done. The man has beaten proper operators and his only loss came to Daniel Dubois with a belt on the line. He is not Dillian Whyte at the end of the road — he is a live, snarling, motivated heavyweight who believes every word he said this week.

My Prediction Has Not Moved

Let's not beat around the bush — I gave my full verdict earlier this week and nothing at that press conference changed it. Hrgovic talks like a man who knows the jab-and-grab rounds are his only route, and Itauma's silence is the silence of a fighter who has already seen the finish. I am sticking with Itauma by stoppage inside eight on Saturday at the O2, live on DAZN PPV — and I think the throw-him-out-of-the-ring line ends up on the highlight reel for all the wrong reasons. Read the full fight week verdict and check the fight cards page for ring walk times.

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