Agit Kabayel has urged Moses Itauma to face Polish heavyweight Damian Knyba in his first fight back since losing to Filip Hrgovic.
Moses Itauma suffered the biggest setback of his 15-fight career when losing to Filip Hrgovic on 29th August.
The 21-year-old -- who has been mooted as the next star in British heavyweight boxing -- was heavily odds-on to emerge victorious at London's O2 Arena, and he was comfortably up on the judges' scorecard at the halfway mark.
Itauma had never been past six rounds in his 14 prior victories, and this showed past the midway point. The British sensation had emptied his tank by the eighth round, and Hrgovic -- who absorbed a huge amount of punishment early on in the fight -- was able to capitalise, ramping up the pressure with a heavy barrage before the referee stopped the fight in the ninth round.
When speaking to Playbook Boxing, WBC heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel encouraged Itauma to make his return to the ring against Polish heavyweight Damian Knyba.
He said:
I will tell you one fight for Moses who is good, for the comeback fight, Knyba! Knyba with Moses is a good fight, why not?
- Agit Kabayel (Playbook Boxing)
Kabayel -- who was elevated from interim champion to full champion in June 2026 after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his titles -- locked horns with Knyba in January, defeating the Pole via TKO in the third round to extend his unbeaten record to 27-0.
Knyba bounced back emphatically when recording the greatest victory of his five-year professional career against former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. on 4th September. It was an impressive performance from the 30-year-old, keeping his distance, utilising the jab, dropping the Mexican-American in the seventh round and winning via unanimous decision.
It's yet to be seen as to whether Itauma will go through with an immediate rematch against Hrgovic or take his time to recover, but Knyba could represent an interesting challenge for the Brit, who still needs rounds in the bank to prevent a repeat of his first defeat.
