Itauma on the defeat by Hrgović: 'My body betrayed me, for a long time I could not accept that it happened'

Moses Itauma has spoken publicly for the first time since suffering his first professional defeat at the hands of Filip Hrgovic, admitting that physical exhaustion caused him to lose control of the fight. The British heavyweight, who was unbeaten with a record of fourteen professional wins and twenty-four amateur victories before the bout, acknowledged that he dominated the early rounds but eventually ran out of steam. He stated that while he did not achieve the result he wanted, he remained proud of his performance given the knowledge, talent, and experience he brought to the ring. The match took place on August 29 at the O2 Arena in London, where Hrgovic secured the International Boxing Federation heavy title via technical knockout in the ninth round. Although Itauma entered the contest as the favorite and led on the judges' scorecards through the first eight rounds, the Croatian fighter capitalized on his opponent's declining energy late in the fight. Following the loss, Itauma was taken to a hospital and subsequently withdrew from public view to process the outcome. In interviews conducted with Queensberry Promotions, Itauma described the moment his stamina failed. He explained that he felt normal until approximately one minute before the stoppage, after which he began moving as if in slow motion while Hrgovic accelerated. He noted that he did not realize anything was wrong during the fight itself, only recognizing later that fatigue had overtaken him. When asked about Hrgovic’s resilience, Itauma recalled landing some of his best punches only to see the Croatian continue advancing. He said he initially dismissed this lack of reaction, intending to try again, until his body simply gave out. Itauma revealed that he has watched the footage of the fight two or three times, describing the experience as nerve-wracking. He used the term "shattered" to describe his emotional state, noting that being second place feels worse than being third because it implies victory was within reach. He admitted that he had not shown sufficient respect toward Hrgovic prior to the match, though he respected the opponent during and after the bout. He accepted full responsibility for the loss, including the decisions made by his team, stating that he placed them in a position to make those choices. The young boxer explained his absence from the media following the fight. He cited the need to rest after a twelve-to-thirteen-week training camp and the difficulty of managing social media attention while dealing with the setback. He mentioned that he could not sit still or browse online platforms because he was the main topic of discussion. He plans to contact promoter Frank Warren once he retrieves his phone to discuss his future. Itauma confirmed that he has returned to training and intends to resume boxing activities, with a return to the ring expected around January. However, neither he nor his promoters have announced a specific date or identified a potential next opponent. He emphasized that boxing is deeply rooted in him and that the loss will not change his ultimate goal of winning a world championship. He stated that he learned much from the encounter, answering questions he had about his own abilities, even if he was dissatisfied with the answers. He added that self-awareness is the first step toward personal development and that he will ensure similar mistakes are not repeated. For Hrgovic, the victory marked the pinnacle of his career, making him the first Croatian to hold a world title in the heavyweight division. For Itauma, the defeat ended his undefeated streak and delayed his chance to become a world champion at age twenty-one. Despite the disappointment, Itauma maintained that he would return to the sport, asserting that losing does not alter his fundamental drive to succeed in the ring. He viewed the period away from the spotlight as necessary time to recover mentally and physically before resuming his campaign for top-level honors.