Tyson Fury has claimed that a fight with Filip Hrgovic was too much too soon for British heavyweight boxing prospect Moses Itauma.
Itauma looked to make history as the youngest heavyweight champion in the 21st century when he faced the Croatian for the vacant IBF title on Saturday night.
Since making his professional bow in 2023 the Itauma had enjoyed an explosive rise up the ranks, and entered the clash with the 2016 Olympic medallist as the betting favourite.
However, despite dominating the fight and repeatedly punishing Hrgovic with combinations, he was unable to add a 13th KO win to his ledger.
Instead the 21-year-old fatigued as the fight wore on, and Hrgovic capitalised to secure a stoppage in the ninth round.
Speaking following the result the two-time heavyweight king Fury claimed that an opponent of the Croatian's calibre came too soon in Itauma's burgeoning career.
"I said it was too early – and it could cost him £100m,” Fury told The Telegraph.
"I beat [Wladimir] Klitschko [to win three world-title belts] when I was 27. If I had boxed him aged 21, Klitschko would have knocked me out. Moses is a brilliant talent. I’ve had him in camp and sparred him many times.
"Moses is very talented but also very young and raw. Whatever Moses is at 21, in five years’ time, 10 years’ time, he’ll be 10 times better, 10 times stronger, more experienced. He’s an amazing boxer, talented. But here’s the thing: he was in there against a battle-hardened veteran in Hrgovic who’s been in the game 20 years, who’s fought a hundred fights as an amateur and all styles around the world.
"As we saw for the first six, seven rounds, Moses outclassed him. But when it came to the stretch, the championship distance, the young man wasn’t ready to go down the straight with a veteran who trained hard, looked in fantastic shape, dedicated himself, and is in the prime of his life at 34.
"Knocking out a low-level man is different to knocking out a world-class man. Different power, different toughness, different everything. I said to everybody who would listen, this is too soon. This guy needs another four, five fights. What’s the rush? He’s 21."
In the aftermath of his first professional defeat Itauma gave credit to Hrgovic and insisted he will take the experience into future fights.
Check out our list of the five youngest heavyweight champions of all time on site.
