Exactly. So he had 4 more to go yet his gas tank was that in the 9th. Not getting hit - https://talksport.com/boxing/4547055/filip-hrgovic-stops-moses-itauma-upset/
What are you talking about? I said he should've fought for a decision over 12 rounds....Then you brought up 9 rounds....It's a 12 round fight my guy.
Yeah if Boxing IQ = "Take as many punches as needed until your opponents arms get tired then wait for him to collapse from exhaustion"
It's not a "Strategy" though is it? Hrgovic was outclassed in every aspect, it's not a "Choice" to get outboxed and pray that your opponent stupidly gasses himself out. A 25 year old Itauma beats any version of Hrgovic.
I thought Itauma would beat Hrgovic too, but lets be real here. Hrgovic made it clear he was planning on dragging Itauma into the late rounds, and Itauma's team didn't prepare him for it. Relying on his chin to carry Hrgovic late and waiting for his opponent to tire out absolutely is a strategy. It's crude and has risks, sure, but it's definitely a tactic some boxers use. Usyk is a prime example. He'll lose the early rounds while he studies his opponent then exploits them when they tire in the later rounds. He's just far more eloquent at it.
He made Itauma miss, road with punches and tanked everything he did land then deliberately finished every round strong. The writing was on the wall for a while if you knew what you were watching.
Hrgovic also won the psychological warfare at every H2H meeting and press conference. In fact, he was expert when it came to playing mind games and getting under Moses' skin even though English is not his first language
Toughness and stamina are big parts of boxing matches. Hrgovic gameplaned around Itaumas attacks and knew how to ride it out, pace himself and attack at the end of rounds.
This is literally the most famous tactic in all of boxing that the most famous and greatest boxer used in his most famous and greatest fight. The Rope a Dope. Get battered, let the other guy gas, and then finish him. Good Lord, man. We get it. You pushed all your chips in on Itauma and now after this embarrassment the cognitive dissonance is eating you up. Let it go.
Or to look at it another way Boxing IQ: Be cautious, check his power, can I handle it, Yes, he’s swinging like crazy there’s no way he can keep this up, maybe I have to go down once or twice but if I stay reserved ride it out, my time will come. It’s Round 6 I can now see these shots that were too fast earlier, couple more rounds my time will come. Round 8, he’s slowed dramatically, these punches aren’t nowhere near the same effect, start taking a few to land a few. Round 9, I caught him good at the end of that 8th, he’s all over the place time to get to work he’s spent. It’s easy to say he just went with a Homer Simpson strategy and no IQ was in play. I don’t think that was the case at all and I think that discredits all the solid work Itauma did because regardless of losing he worked Filip over big time for the majority of the fight. Hrgović has been around this game for a long time, it’s a tale as old as time, let the young kid blow his load and the wily old vet will get them eventually. That’s exactly what happened. This isn’t the first time this has happened and it certainly won’t be the last. As I said before Hrgović didn’t beat Itauma, he outlasted him. Sometimes you don’t need to beat your opponent, ultimately you just need to be the last man standing. That level of IQ comes with experience. Experience that Moses doesn’t have.