Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgović for the vacant IBF Heavyweight title set for August 29 in London

War Hrgović !

 

Joshua had the London 2012 Olympics springboard; all the medalists became household names in the UK before they even turned pro, but AJ got the most coverage because it was a gold and he was at super heavyweight. I think Itauma is going to have a career that surpasses Joshua, but Warren has moved him too quickly if he expects AJ-like ticket sales for this fight.

Moses is good enough to skip a few levels, but that means he misses out on becoming a more established name, and people don't start buying tickets until the hype train has a lot more wind behind it. This could be the fight that catapults him into that big time, especially if he blows Hrgovic away in a few brutal rounds, which I honestly think he might, but given that he was still fighting the likes of Mike Balogun a year ago, that doesn't translate into 15,000 ticket sales, even with the title on the line and how special he looks.

 

AJ and Hearn/Matchroom/Sky - the four of them basically together were a huge marketing machine.

It also helps when you have a 100% KO when you're champion.

 

People also have to be a bit more realistic and remember that Itauma is only 21 years old. He'll be selling out stadiums in no-time.

 

Why is this a PPV? DAZN is garbage.

 

It’s a heavyweight fight for one the major titles..

 

A damn exciting one at that. I'm pumped.

 

I'm actully putting a few bucks on Hrgovic. Itauma is a live dog with possible career-defining showing ahead of him, but I feel like he can slip here.

 

It's a trinket largely based on arbitrary rankings.

 

100%. Hopefully we’ll learn everything we need about Itauma from this.

 

Hrgovic's eyelids say otherwise. This gets stopped on cuts. Even if Hergy is fighting through it and still able to fight the ref/doc will be Bricktop's guys and will wave it off as soon as they can. They already did it when he fought Dubois and the ref sat there and watched 50 headbutts go in from Dubois and did nothing but warn Hrgovic for rabbit punches.

 

I get what you’re saying. Vacant belt. However personally I can’t remember the last HW title fight that wasn’t PPV.
Also TBH I’d pay for this without a belt because of what it will hopefully tell us about Itauma.

 

The closer the fight gets, the more nervous I feel, to be honest.

 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned much is Hrgovic's jab. Which could be key, its a far far better jab anyone Itauma has fought.

However, a problem whoever Itauma fights, they bite into his feint and guard the face until Itauma lands to the body. Whyte and Franklin felt it and found out the hard way. I certainly don't want to get on the hype train but Itauma doesn't get much credit for his bodywork.

 

Beats AJ vs the unknown Albanian as a PPV.

For a vacant title fight, it's also a really solid match up with presumably a unification fight to follow. Hope the undercard has a few gems in it as well but haven't really looked yet.