Moses Itauma has a lot of changes to make if he's to become a boxing world champion in the future.
Itauma, 21, had the chance Saturday at London's O2 Arena to become the youngest heavyweight world champion since Mike Tyson. All he had to do was beat veteran contender Filip Hrgovic and claim the vacant IBF heavyweight world ******* le.
Despite winning the first round, knocking Hrgovic down in the second, and dominating many of the subsequent rounds with his dazzling offense and fast hands, Itauma nonetheless showed his inexperience, according to his promoter Frank Warren. He fell in love with his power and abandoned his jab, the Queensberry Promotions founder said.
Itauma (14-1, 12 KOs) ultimately punched himself out and lost in the ninth round, when he could barely stand on his own accord. He threw slower, more sluggish shots, and he was there for the taking. Hrgovic, 34, simply needed only to survive in order to claim the win once it was given to him.
"Moses started the fight really well — controlling the fight with his jab, but it didn't work out for him," Warren, Itauma's longtime promoter, said post-fight.
#heavyweight
Itauma, 21, had the chance Saturday at London's O2 Arena to become the youngest heavyweight world champion since Mike Tyson. All he had to do was beat veteran contender Filip Hrgovic and claim the vacant IBF heavyweight world ******* le.
Despite winning the first round, knocking Hrgovic down in the second, and dominating many of the subsequent rounds with his dazzling offense and fast hands, Itauma nonetheless showed his inexperience, according to his promoter Frank Warren. He fell in love with his power and abandoned his jab, the Queensberry Promotions founder said.
Itauma (14-1, 12 KOs) ultimately punched himself out and lost in the ninth round, when he could barely stand on his own accord. He threw slower, more sluggish shots, and he was there for the taking. Hrgovic, 34, simply needed only to survive in order to claim the win once it was given to him.
"Moses started the fight really well — controlling the fight with his jab, but it didn't work out for him," Warren, Itauma's longtime promoter, said post-fight.
#heavyweight
2 months ago
