Itauma says ‘I’ll be back’ after bruising heavyweight title loss

Moses Itauma, the 21-year-old British heavyweight contender, suffered a ninth-round stoppage against Croatian fighter Filip Hrgovic in a grueling match for the vacant IBF heavyweight title at London's O2 Arena. The fight, which took place on Saturday, saw Itauma dominate much of the contest before his physicality began to wane. This marked Itauma's first defeat in his 15-fight career and ended his hopes of becoming the second-youngest heavyweight world champion, following in the footsteps of Mike Tyson.

In a statement on social media on Sunday, Itauma admitted, "We attempted greatness and just fell short to the more experienced man." Despite conceding the victory to the 34-year-old Hrgovic, the young contender remained gracious, congratulating his opponent on his surprise triumph. He emphasized that although he didn't achieve his desired outcome, he believed he gained valuable experience for his future fights. Itauma concluded his message with faith in his abilities, saying, "God bless, take care and I'll be back."