Moses tauma’s stunning pre-fight admission about training comes back to haunt him after stunning defeat

MOSES ITAUMA’s pre-fight training admission brutally came back to haunt him against Filip Hrgovic. The southpaw slugger’s bid to become Britain’s youngest-ever heavyweight world champion fell flat on its face at The O2 last night. Moses Itauma was cruising to a points victory against Filip Hrgovic before punching himself out Credit: REUTERS The breathless 21-year-old was stopped by the Croatian clubber in the ninth round of their IBF title fight Credit: REUTERS Itauma, 21, suffered a ninth-round TKO loss to the durable Hrgovic in their war for the vacant IBF heavyweight title. Referee Howard Foster waved off the contest at the 2:27 mark of the stanza after a breathless Itauma took a pasting against the ropes, which he repeatedly used to stay upright. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! The Chatham clubber was overcome by fatigue in the eighth, having blown his gas tank trying to get to the finish. And Hrgovic capitalised, putting it on the puffing puncher to get his hands on the prestigious red and gold IBF strap. Boxing fans are now wondering if Itauma has what it takes to go 12 hard rounds, something he’s admitted he doesn’t replicate in sparring. During an interview with talkSPORT, he said: “If I’m being completely honest, I don’t know if I’ve done a 12-round spar. “I might have but I wouldn’t recall.” When asked if he’d like to feel what it’s like going deep into the trenches by doing 12 rounds, he replied: “Absolutely not. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Fatigue brutally took a hold of Moses Itauma in the eighth round Credit: GETTY He was so exhausted he repeatedly used the ropes to keep himself up Credit: REUTERS “There’s no need to be in the ring longer than you need to be. “Whether I knock Filip Hrgovic out in the 1st or the last, I’m still going to get paid the same.” Fight fans were quick to recirculate and comment on the clip after the fight was waved off. One wrote on X: “Turns out that, in fact, there was a reason to find out what 12 rounds looked like in training.” Another said: “I’ve never in my life heard a professional boxer say this ever.” And another said: “How are you not going 100% in camp as a combat sport athlete?” An exhausted Itauma had to be stretchered out of the arena before being taken to hospital. And promoter Frank Warren admits the youngster will have to work on his card if he wants to become a world champion. He said: “He got caught and the fighting instinct was to stand there and let his shots go. “That’s what it is at the top level. You have to tick all the boxes. He has got to learn from the fight and will hopefully do that.” Comment now