What is Hrgovics path to victory against Itauma?

10 rounds.

 

I will be interested to see what Hrgo's gameplan is here; whilst just putting on Itauma early may seem like a good plan, I think that play's into Moses early strengths; fast counter-punching.

My thinking here is that Hrgo should try to keep things cautious for the first 2 or 3 and gradually increase his work and volume - force Itauma to lead and go on the front foot, look for counters and see how his gas-tank is after 5/6, then really try and put it on him in the 2nd half of the fight.

 

The jab itself wasn't the reason
He was mentally exhausted

 

Of course he can, but cuts aside Hrgo is durable - and has taken big shots from big hitters before, if maybe none as fast as Itauma.

Just looking at what possible flaws Itauma has and has shown thus far; whilst he stopped Franklin in the 5th he was starting to gulp on the air. We have not seem him in the championship rounds yet as no one has took him there. I just think if Hrgo goes all out early at Itauma he is playing to Moses strengths and should be cagey and cautious in the first few rounds to avoid taking big counters early when Itauma has his full gas-tank. Work his way in gradual increasing offence, but being defensively sound at all times.

The last part is what would concern me the most as El Animal doesn't usually pay much attention to his defence at all, and that's going to be his biggest issue with Moses IMO

 

Exactly

It's not 1 punch KO power but it's damaging esp if it's allowed to continue over a period of time

Allen who can take a punch looked uncomfortable from the first round getting tagged

I think Moses will best him but I'm not in the camp that thinks Hrgovic is getting blown away

It's a 60 40 fight imo

Hrgovic just doesn't like to avoid punches and it's gonna catch up with him at a some point

 

Hrgovics path to victory is hype.

If Itauma is the real deal, he'll beat the durable Croat gatekeeper... If he's not, then he won't.

If Itauma has a dodgy chin, he might have problems because Hrgovic will find it (with mediocre power, admittedly) and he won't be too likely to get an early KO to cover this... And if it goes later rounds, even though Hrgovic has a poor gas tank himself, if Itauma's is poor too then cards could be interesting.

It just all depends on how much of the hype Itauma lives up to - if he's all he's claimed, he'll get through this without too big a scare... If it's difficult, or he loses, he ain't what's been claimed.

 

1. Take itauma seriously. Defend well, be prepared for unexpected punches or positions, because itauma is crazy quick. Stabilize with hands on head when under fire.

2. Strategically wait for the First two rounds to blow over at least. Just probing output, getting itauma to show what he plans to bring, learn his rhythm, his movements, what it means to be in the ring with him. Study like a counterpuncher would.

3. After the fight stabilized, deter his attacks with counterpunching and start putting on pressure. Try to get itauma exhausted. Make him see it will be a long fight. Start boxing him.

4. Use what you have seen to pile up damage, show that you are not deterred by him hitting you. Get him to walk backwards, push him in the ropes or make him show he has defensive footwork too. Start trading with the security of knowing his rhythm and a lower likelihood of missing one of his punches (most likely itaumas lead hook which is hard to detect while itauma evades a punch).

5. Hope for itauma to lose steam or get discouraged or actually have a susceptible chin. Or pile on so much damage that you stop him. Or start winning rounds early enough.


Hrgovic is the more experienced fighter with an amateur background and who showed that he has the heart and grit to make it through any fight. On paper this is a mismatch in favor of hrgovic. But the eye test says otherwise and makes itauma a favorite. It's about whether hrgovic can bring his advantages into play and make it about grit and heart and who makes it over the line after 10 rounds.

 

I'm thinking it's getting to him in the second half. He looked like he was starting to tire a bit against Franklin, that fight was just starting to get interesting before Franklins dumb fat ass walked right into an uppercut.