Moses Itauma bristles at ‘delusional kid’ jibe as IBF title showdown with Hrgovic nears

Verbal sparring intensifies before London world-title bout

Moses Itauma has hit back at Filip Hrgovic’s taunt that he is a “delusional kid” and admitted that his Croatian rival is starting to annoy him as the two men prepare to fight for the IBF world heavyweight title on Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London.

“I tell myself there’s nothing that this Hrgovic guy can do to get in my head but he’s starting to wind me up,” Itauma said on Tuesday evening. “In an interview earlier, apparently he said I wake up and I just hug trees. He’s really starting to annoy me.

“In my mind if somebody’s trying to get one up on you, or trying to get in your head, it’s because they’re not confident in themselves. Obviously Hrgovic is a talker. Before fights, he’s always said certain things – like he did to [Daniel] Dubois when he said he sees big muscles but not big balls. Then you see Dubois, in his mind, is raging. So Hrgovic has always been a talker. It’s just because English ain’t his first language that people don’t pay attention.”

Title stakes and history on the line

The bout is scheduled for the IBF world heavyweight title, one of the major belts administered under the rules of the International Boxing Federation. World titles sanctioned by bodies such as the IBF sit at the top of the professional structure, determining mandatory challengers and unification paths across the heavyweight division.

If Itauma beats Hrgovic, as expected in some quarters, he will become the second-youngest world heavyweight champion in history. Only Mike Tyson won the title at a younger age and Hrgovic said of the 21-year-old Itauma: “He’s a kid. He’s inexperienced. So, for him, it would be best to lose this fight because it’s going to ruin him, winning the world title. He’s already in the clouds. He’s already delusional. And it can ruin someone who’s not ready for that kind of fame, that kind of money.

“It can ruin your soul, it can make you lose yourself and we’ve seen a lot of superstars and famous people who have lost themselves. They’re just lost in that crazy world of fame and money. He’s not ready for that. I think, for him, it would be best to lose this fight, to save his soul. Because what does it mean to achieve everything if you lose your soul and you lose yourself?”

For Itauma, the stakes are therefore twofold: a chance to secure a first world title and a place in the heavyweight record books at an age when many contenders are still navigating regional belts. For Hrgovic, victory would mean reaffirming the value of experience in a division where sanctioning bodies require champions to defend against mandatory challengers and where a single result can reshape future unification and purse opportunities.

Contrasting views on fame, pressure and maturity

Itauma conceded that there is a semblance of truth in Hrgovic’s words: “Although it’s been annoying me, I hear that because I already know the level of success I’ve achieved and how I’m coping. I’ve always said I never wanted to be at Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury level because I know how annoyed I get trying to be a normal person. Now I can’t imagine being at a level of Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua. But, at the same time, if I’m going down this path, I don’t have a choice.”

His comments underline the wider tension faced by emerging champions in a global boxing economy: world-title status brings greater bargaining power and headline purses, but also intense media focus and commercial obligations. For a 21-year-old heavyweight, navigating that transition while remaining an active champion under sanctioning-body rules adds another layer of pressure beyond the immediate challenge in the ring.

Asked if Hrgovic has a point that winning a world title at such a young age would be bad for his “soul”, Itauma replied: “I wouldn’t say he has a point but if I win this fight it might not be good for my soul. I can hear that. But that’s not the reason why I’m just gonna go in there and not win – for the sake of my soul. That’s not a good idea.”

Hrgovic leans on experience and hardened route to the top

Pressed to explain why Itauma is “delusional”, Hrgovic said: “He went from youth level to professional, had a few fights and became a star. Everyone is clapping him on his back – [saying] you’re the best, you’re the next Muhammad Ali. You’re the new Mike Tyson. He’s just not, in reality. I’m very grateful for all the hard things I went through. It makes you a different person.”

The Croatian’s stance reflects a traditional heavyweight pathway built on long professional campaigns and incremental rises through the rankings. For fighters such as Hrgovic, nine years in the paid ranks with only a single defeat carry weight in negotiations with sanctioning bodies and broadcasters, and frame this bout as a test of whether accelerated prospects can withstand the kind of pressure that accumulates over time.

The 34-year-old Hrgovic, who has lost just once in a professional career stretching across nine years, said: “I’m in a much different position because of that experience, and the ups and downs in my life. I’m like a rock. Stable. Nothing can move me. I don’t care about fame. I don’t care about money. I don’t care about what people think. But we’ll see on Saturday.”

Generational test with implications for the heavyweight landscape

Beyond personal animosity, the fight at the O2 Arena functions as a clear generational contest. A win for Itauma would accelerate his transition from rising prospect to central figure in future title negotiations, with potential consequences for how quickly other leading heavyweights are pushed towards mandatory defences and unification discussions.

If Hrgovic prevails, it would reinforce the value of experience in a division where sanctioning bodies must regularly balance emerging contenders against established names. Either way, the IBF belt at stake ensures that Saturday’s result will feed directly into the sport’s formal championship structure rather than sitting as an isolated attraction on the heavyweight calendar.