Moses Itauma slams Filip Hrgovic’s ‘schoolboy banter’ after Croatian vows ‘I am going to smash the kid’

MOSES ITAUMA slammed 34-year-old Filip Hrgovic’s trash talk as “schoolboy banter”. The veteran Croatian – a 2016 Olympic bronze winner – clashes with the 21-year-old on Saturday at the O2 for the vacant IBF heavyweight world title live on DAZN. Moses Itauma faces Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF heavyweight title on Saturday night Credit: REUTERS Croatian clubber Hrgovic has been ramping ip the trash talk over the last few days Credit: GETTY None of Itauma’s previous 14 victims dared to goad or rile-up the Kent southpaw sensation. But Hrgovic has bucked the trend and slung a few insults in the build-up, labelling Itauma an untested HYPE JOB who is in too deep and about to sink. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! But ice-cool Itauma refused to engage with the veteran at Thursday’s press conference and shut down the host’s attempts to stage a slanging match. Itauma said: “This is the fight I have wanted – and I have asked for – for so long, “I reckon I can thrive on the style match-up and the pressure “If I can’t beat Hrgovic then all the noise doesn’t matter “His talk is cheap, it’s schoolboy banter. “I am not engaging in the back-and-forth, my eyes are only focused on the target.” Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS The Home of Boxing in 2026 There's a massive year of boxing ahead! It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring. The Gypsy King has beaten Mariusz Wach in his second fight of the year to set up a huge fight with Anthony Joshua And AJ did the same, knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a thrilling encounter – the Brit was knocked down twice in the opening round. Now fans are looking forward to Moses Itauma’s return for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August. Here’s all the big fights coming up… August Sat 29 – Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN September Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN *If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue. Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic - all the info Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic face off for the IBF heavyweight world title Hrgovic did his best to tease and taunt the undefeated ace but failed to get a rise out of him. The Zagreb visitor growled: “I am just telling you facts, I am not playing games. “I am not smart enough to play mind games, I tell you what I think and I think he is a kid, I am the man. “He is not mature enough, I am much more experienced and that’s it, no mind games. “I’ll smash the kid on Saturday and send him back to high school. “He has said he wants some props but I have come here to London, on his territory, this kid everyone is avoiding. “I have come here for a fight and – against all the odds – I believe in myself. Filip Hrgovic’s trash talk is starting to irk Moses Itauma Credit: PA Hrgovic has vowed to shock the world and “smash” Itauma into his first defeat Credit: REUTERS “I am fighting the guy they call ‘The next Mike Tyson.’ “So give me some props, I am going to smash the kid.” And after the face-off Hrgovic remained on the stage to joke and jest about wetting himself through fear of the Chatham hero. A North Greenwich win will make Itauma the second youngest heavyweight world champion in history. But he’s sick of the story and has no interest in the accolade. He said: “I am not trying to become the ‘second youngest world champion after Mike Tyson‘. “I am just trying to beat Filip Hrgovic Comment now