Huge Tactical Problem in Itauma vs Hrgovic…

I would classify myself as an Itauma sceptic, but I don't have any ill will against the guy and I will give him the due props if he wins. Saying that, I feel he has been matched with precision caution thus far during his career, and even his marquee opponents have glaring flaws that would have made it obvious Itauma would win beforehand (e.g you have featherfists such as Franklin, defensively suspect glass jaws such as Whyte, and plain old walking heavy bags such as Wach.) Whilst Hrgovic does have his flaws, he is a massive step up from Itauma's previous opposition; he has good power, a good chin, good stamina and a jab-heavy educated style. If Itauma's chin is an as yet unearthed flaw then Hrgovic has the power to expose it; similarly, if Itauma blows a gasket trying to get Hrgovic out there early, then Filip has the stamina to turn things around and pour the heat on Itauma. My main hope for this fight is that the referee will allow the action to play out to its natural conclusion; I don't think I can stomach Itauma landing a decent shot followed by a flurry of which little lands clean, only for one of the UK's cadre of inept and corrupt refs to step in and give Itauma a gift stoppage.

 

The only indicator I have for this bout is that they both fought an awkward southpaw in recent years, Demsey McKean. Hrgovic knocked him out in the twelfth, and Itauma did it in the first.

I feel that Hrgovic will be chinned in early rounds, and if so, it should answer quite a few questions regarding the rising star in Moses Itauma. Whatever happens, Filip is a quality opponent finally, and deserves respect.

 

Being that this is boxing, most likely something very iffy will happen in the fight to tilt it one way or the other.

 

a lot of people are going on about the hrgovic vs itauma fight as though the result is a foregone conclusion, and itauma smokes him..what if itauma does the chicken dance??what will people be saying then?? will he be a slovak?, or who knows, maybe another british horizontal heavyweight...hrgovic has been calling big names out since early in his pro career, now, he's finally got one, and people are expecting him to lose..hrgovic is coming to win...going to be interesting what people will be saying if hrgovic wins..he'll be ruining a lot of peoples plans, from promoters to fans..about 98% of people online are saying itauma beats him..i don't see it that way at all...itauma is going to a dark place during the fight...hrgovic will beat him!!!!

 

I mean... Ultimately, he is actually unproven at present.

Beating a solid top end gatekeeper in his prime, like Hrgovic, puts him in and around the contenders NOW - doing it convincingly, even moreso.

But even losing... It doesn't mean it's over by a long way - it wasn't when Dubois lost to Joyce, for example.

 

Great post! Even if Itauma loses to Hrgovic - he is young and can come again, Dubois loss to Joyce is a great caution on this. The 0 is given way too much importance these days - if you fight the best chances are you are gonna lose at some point!

 

Well, even though I don't count Hrgovic as quite top drawer (and didn't really with Joyce, either).

It's not just that if you take tough fights you're going to lose eventually... But whilst younger and still learning? Those tougher fights teach you an awful lot that knocking over cans and corpses never could.

 

One thing is certain, and that is that I will watch the fight with my brothers and father on a Projector and have a few beers.