Filip Hrgovic on Moses Itauma, God, and his late father: ‘I believe in Heaven, I feel his presence’

Filip Hrgovic's face remains hidden beneath a cap and his hand. He appears to gently wipe away the corners of his eyes with his thumb and forefinger as he reflects on his relationship with his late father. The Croatian boxer, who defeated Moses Itauma in a surprising upset win at London's O2 Arena, is speaking a month after the event.

Hrgovic, who became Croatia's first-ever world heavyweight champion, dedicated his victory to his father. He tells The Independent, "My father was my biggest support, but this is life... What can I do?" Despite the physical absence of his father, Hrgovic feels his presence and believes in an afterlife in heaven. He explains, "I believe in God, I believe in Jesus, I believe in the resurrection, in life after death – life in heaven. So, I feel his presence, I feel he's still around."

Hrgovic acknowledges that his father's absence is difficult, but he remains proud of his journey and believes his father would be proud too. In another part of the conversation, Hrgovic showcases his humor, joking about being Croatia's new heavyweight superstar. When discussing the financial success of his friends who bet on him to win against Itauma, he laughs and admits he would have won the championship before if he had known the outcome.

The boxer also shares his feelings about his daughter, who is two years old and still struggling with speaking. He explains, "I teach her to say: ‘My dad is a world champion.’ She doesn’t know what that means. She’ll see [the Itauma fight] one day, for sure." Hrgovic's wife, who has been his partner for 12 years, supported him emotionally during the fight, alternating between support and crying at the adversity he faced.