Filip Hrgovic: ‘I’ll Throw Moses Itauma Back To High School’

“I will destroy the kid, man. I’ll throw him out of the ring. I’m an animal, man,” said Hrgovic to Queensberry about Itauma. “I’ll throw him back to high school where he belongs.”

The former IBF mandatory challenger spent much of the interview pushing back against the growing hype surrounding the 21-year-old British heavyweight. Hrgovic argued that many observers have already written him off despite his experience against top-level opposition.

“People don’t say Moses can win. People say Moses will destroy me, man,” Hrgovic said.

Asked why so many fans and pundits are backing Itauma, Hrgovic pointed to the promotional machine behind British boxing.

“That’s called a hype job,” Hrgovic said. “If he is from Bulgaria, no one would talk of him.”

Despite the criticism, Hrgovic acknowledged that Itauma brings genuine talent into the ring. He described him as quick, explosive, and unusually mature for his age, while noting that heavyweights typically reach their peak much later in their careers.

The August 29 bout at London’s O2 Arena represents the biggest test of Itauma’s professional career. Hrgovic enters the fight with far more experience at world level and views the contest as an opportunity to halt the rapid rise of one of boxing’s most talked-about prospects.