British heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma will have the chance to become one of boxing's youngest-ever world champions after his showdown with Croatia's Filip Hrgovic was upgraded to a fight for the vacant IBF heavyweight title.
The 21-year-old southpaw will face the experienced Hrgovic on August 29 at London's O2 Arena after former undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk relinquished the IBF belt, opening the door for one of boxing's most promising young contenders to challenge for world honours.
Itauma has rapidly emerged as one of the sport's brightest heavyweight prospects. The British boxer of Nigerian and Slovak heritage boasts a perfect professional record of 14 wins from 14 fights, with 12 victories coming by knockout. Renowned for his explosive punching power, speed and composure beyond his years, he strengthened his growing reputation with a fifth-round stoppage of American Jermaine Franklin earlier this year.
Victory over Hrgovic would make Itauma the second-youngest heavyweight champion in history, further cementing predictions that he could dominate the division for years to come.
Standing in his way is one of the division's most seasoned contenders. Hrgovic, 34, owns a 20-1 professional record and captured a bronze medal for Croatia at the 2016 Rio Olympics before establishing himself among the heavyweight elite.
Nicknamed "El Animal", Hrgovic's only professional defeat came against Daniel Dubois in an IBF interim title bout in 2024. Since then, he has rebuilt his standing with impressive victories over Joe Joyce and David Adeleye, reaffirming his credentials as a dangerous contender with a powerful jab and extensive amateur pedigree.
The title opportunity arose after the IBF's top-ranked contender, Cuba's Frank Sanchez, agreed to step aside under a financial agreement, with the winner expected to face Sanchez in a future mandatory defence.
The clash is widely regarded as the biggest test of Itauma's fledgling career, with the unbeaten Brit seeking to prove that the hype surrounding him is justified against one of the heavyweight division's toughest and most experienced opponents.
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