“Can I stop Filip Hrgovic? Do you know what? He says he’s an animal. I’m gonna make him Jack. I reckon I can make him Jack,” said Itauma to Queensberry Promotions.
“Jack” is British slang for quitting or giving up.
The heavyweight clash will headline Queensberry Promotions’ August 29 card at London’s O2 Arena. Hrgovic enters the bout after stopping Dave Allen, while Itauma is coming off a dominant fifth-round knockout of Jermaine Franklin in March. The contest is widely viewed as the toughest test of the unbeaten 21-year-old’s professional career.
Itauma also questioned Hrgovic’s pre-fight bravado, suggesting the Croatian’s attitude changes when they are together in person.
“The thing is he don’t have that energy when I’m with him, and he don’t have the energy when we’re sitting face to face,” Itauma said. “He just all of a sudden leaves the room, and he’s got confidence.”
Although both heavyweights have exchanged verbal shots this week, Itauma indicated he has no interest in putting the rivalry behind them once the fight is over.
“I’m the type of person, though, if I got a problem with you before a fight and we have a fight, I’m going to have a problem with you after the fight,” he said. “There are certain boundaries I don’t cross,” said Moses.
“So, if Filip Hrgovic crosses too many, after the fight there’s none of that. Just because we had a fight, it’s business now. There’s no handshakes.”
Their war of words has added another layer of intrigue to one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights of the summer, with the winner expected to strengthen his position among the division’s leading contenders.
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