Itauma v Hrgovic upgraded to IBF world-title bout

Moses Itauma (left) has described Filip Hrgovic as his "toughest fight" to date

>British heavyweight Moses Itauma's fight against Filip Hrgovic on 29 August will be for the vacant IBF title.

>Itauma, 21, has been widely tipped as the next star of heavyweight boxing, with 12 knockouts in 14 professional victories.

>Promoter Frank Warren told BBC Sport the IBF belt, vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in June, will be on the line at London's O2 Arena.

>"A lot of people have high expectations of him as I have, by the way," Queensberry Promotions' Warren told BBC Sport.

>"We signed him when he was 16. He was an amateur. We sponsored him and he turned professional with us. And he's been amazing and sort of taken the world by storm.

>"This is a big moment for him. But I'm confident he can do it."

>Itauma had initially been ordered to enter negotiations with Cuban Frank Sanchez for the vacant title and was given a deadline of 29 July.

>However, Sanchez has agreed to step aside and will instead face the winner of the bout between Itauma and Hrgovic.

>"We paid [Sanchez] some money. We said whoever wins the fight, you're not losing out and you'll get the opportunity to fight for the title against the winner," Warren added.

>Itauma impressed in a fifth-round stoppage of American Jermaine Franklin in Manchester in March and stopped Briton Dillian Whyte in one round in August 2025.

>Hrgovic, a 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, has won 20 professional fights. The 34-year-old stopped Briton Dave Allen in the third round in May.

>"We know Hrgovic is going to come and give 100%, and 100% of him is hard work for anyone," Warren said.

>Itauma handed everything on a plate - Hrgovic

>A victory for Itauma could set up an all-British unification fight next year.

>WBO champion Daniel Dubois defeated Fabio Wardley in May to become a two-time heavyweight world champion, and Warren confirmed the pair will contest a rematch in October.

>Warren says should Itauma beat Hrgovic and then Sanchez, a fight against Ipswich's Wardley or Londoner Dubois for two world titles may take place at Wembley Stadium in 2027.

>"It would be huge, absolutely huge. They're big punchers. These guys are big, big punchers. They're exciting. They're not in boring fights," Warren said.

>Wardley and Itauma are both trained by Ben Davison, and Warren says the trainer will have to "make a decision" if the fight happens.

>"I've seen best friends fight each other but they do it for the money they get, which pays the bills," Warren added.

>Russian Murat Gassiev is the WBA champion, while Germany's Agit Kabayel holds the WBC title and is also signed to Queensberry.

>Itauma could become the second-youngest British boxer in the modern era to win a professional world title. The Chatham fighter will be 21 years and 244 days old when the fight takes place.

>Prince Naseem Hamed, at 21 years and 218 days, captured a world title at a younger age when he stopped Steve Robinson to win the WBO featherweight title in 1995.

>Teddy Baldock won the vacant world bantamweight title against Archie Bell in 1927, aged 19 years and 346 days.

>"Obviously I'm proud of what he's done up to now but if he does this I'll be the happiest guy around because he's such a nice guy," Warren said.

>"He is a great advert for British boxing, world boxing and for sport."

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