Itauma fights Hrgovic for vacant IBF title
August 6, 2026 12:03 am
British-Nigerian, Moses Itauma…Photo Credit: Dazn
By Peter Akinbo
Moses Itauma’s clash with Filip Hrgovic at the O2 Arena in London on August 29 will now be contested for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title, following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to give up his remaining belts.
The IBF had initially ordered mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez, who earned his position with a second-round stoppage of Richard Torrez Jr in a final eliminator on May 3, to face Itauma for the vacant title.
However, with the Itauma-Hrgovic bout already scheduled, Queensberry Promotions negotiated a step-aside deal with the Cuban, worth millions, under which he agreed to let the fight proceed in exchange for a guaranteed shot at the winner.
The IBF ratified the agreement on Tuesday, with Sanchez retaining his number one ranking and required to fight the winner within six months.
Promoter Frank Warren said the deal protects everyone involved, saying, “This deal is in the best interest of Frank Sanchez,” his manager, Mike Borao, said.
“It doesn’t affect his timeline to fight for the world title; it only positively affects his earnings for the bout against the winner of Itauma-Hrgovic.”
The unbeaten Itauma, 14 wins from as many fights with 12 knockouts, will be 21 years, 244 days old when he faces Hrgovic. Victory would make him the second-youngest heavyweight world champion behind only Mike Tyson, who was twenty when he stopped Trevor Berbick in 1986.
Hrgovic, who has a record of 20-1 with 15 knockouts, arrives in career-best form, having beaten Joe Joyce, David Adeleye and Dave Allen since his sole defeat to Daniel Dubois in June 2024. The 34-year-old Croatian would become the first heavyweight titleholder from his country if he wins.
Warren, who signed Itauma as a 16-year-old amateur, backed his fighter to rise to the occasion.
“We signed him when he was 16, he was an amateur. We sponsored him and he turned professional with us, and he has been amazing and taken the world by storm,” Warren said.
“This is a big moment for him, but I am confident he can do it.”
The fight airs on DAZN Pay-Per-View, with the winner expected to defend against Sanchez between late November and the end of the year.
Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories
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