Filip Hrgovic stops Moses Itauma to win the IBF heavyweight title

Filip Hrgovic defeated Moses Itauma on Saturday at The O2 in London to capture the vacant IBF heavyweight title. Referee Howard Foster ended the bout in the ninth round after the trainer Ben Davison threw in the towel. Itauma, who had controlled early rounds with his speed, showed signs of fatigue and restricted mobility throughout the latter half of the contest. Promoter Frank Warren confirmed that the 21-year-old Itauma sustained a leg injury during the fight and was subsequently transported to a hospital by stretcher. While Itauma displayed technical proficiency, his lack of experience in long-distance bouts proved decisive against the durable Hrgovic. The victory establishes the 34-year-old Croatian as a world heavyweight champion, leaving the future path for the younger fighter to be determined by his team.

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