Moses Itauma, 21, suffered his first professional loss on Saturday when he was defeated by Filip Hrgovic in their contest for the vacant IBF heavyweight belt. The fight was stopped in the ninth round by referee Howard Foster, with Itauma's trainer Ben Davison simultaneously throwing in the towel.
Itauma's promoter, Frank Warren, disclosed that the boxer sustained a leg injury during the bout. This injury, along with Itauma's inexperience in longer fights and his conditioning, were cited as factors in the outcome.
Questions have been raised regarding Itauma's game plan and the pace he maintained, as he was observed breathing heavily from early rounds. His corner has been criticised for not providing clearer instructions to slow the pace.
Itauma was taken to hospital on a stretcher after the fight. His team is now expected to address deficiencies in his conditioning and game planning, while Warren considers the next strategic move for the young boxer.