Filip Hrgovic kicks off the verbal sparring with provocative remarks ahead of his bout against Moses Itauma.
The verbal sparring ahead of the heavyweight bout between Filip Hrgovic and Moses Itauma is heating up. With just under two months to go before their bout on August 29 at London’s O2 Arena, the Croatian has made it clear what he thinks of the hype surrounding the British rising star: not much.
Hrgovic, who had to wait a long time for big opportunities during his career, sees himself as a representative of the “old school” and views Itauma’s career path with a certain degree of skepticism. “I feel like everything is handed to him on a silver platter. No one ever gave me anything for free, though,” the 34-year-old explained at a press conference in London. His criticism of the modern training methods used by many young boxers was particularly sharp. With a healthy dose of sarcasm, Hrgovic said: “His nutritionist probably told him to drink two liters of water. Then he goes outside in the morning, greets the sun, takes ten deep breaths, takes a cold shower, and then kisses a tree. That’s all nonsense. I’m the real fighter.”
Despite all the taunts, Hrgovic is by no means underestimating his opponent. Itauma is considered one of the world’s greatest heavyweight prospects and has won twelve of his 14 professional fights by stoppage. For the Croatian, this will therefore be perhaps the most important preparation of his career. Under trainer Abel Sanchez, Hrgovic is currently completing a ten-day high-altitude training camp in Big Bear, California. “There will be a lot of pain and a lot of sacrifice. Abel doesn’t believe in all that modern recovery nonsense. For him, it’s all about hard work and nothing else,” Hrgovic explained. The former world title challenger is convinced that this uncompromising approach will pay off on fight night. “In the end, it’s about getting to know yourself and pushing yourself to your limits. That’s exactly where victories are born.”
Text by Robin Josten