Filip Hrgovic has accused Moses Itauma of being “delusional” ahead of their IBF heavyweight title fight on Saturday at London’s O2 Arena.
Hrgovic, 34, and the unbeaten Itauma, 21, will both fight for a full world title for the first time. Hrgovic’s only professional loss came in 2024, when he was stopped by Daniel Dubois in an interim-title fight.
“I think for him, it would be best for him to lose this fight, because it can ruin him to win a world title so young,” Hrgovic told reporters on Tuesday. “His head is already in the clouds, he’s already delusional, and I think it can ruin someone who’s not ready for that kind of fame, that kind of money.”
Since that defeat, Hrgovic has won three straight fights against British heavyweights Joe Joyce, David Adeleye and Dave Allen. Itauma, 21, stopped Jermaine Franklin in March and knocked out Dillian Whyte in under two minutes last year.