Don Charles backs Moses Itauma to beat Filip Hrgovic for IBF title

Don Charles believes Moses Itauma has the speed, accuracy and ring intelligence to defeat Filip Hrgovic in their vacant IBF heavyweight title fight at London’s O2 Arena on August 29. The Daniel Dubois trainer expects the 21-year-old British prospect to overcome the experience and toughness of his 34-year-old Croatian opponent.

Charles sees Itauma as a sharp, technically skilled fighter who could be too quick and fresh for Hrgovic. He also expects the younger boxer to face difficult moments because Hrgovic remains a strong and capable contender rather than an easy opponent.

A major concern for Hrgovic is the history of cuts around his eyes. Dubois stopped him in the eighth round in 2024 after the fight was halted because of cuts, and Hrgovic has suffered cuts in every bout since that defeat. Charles believes those wounds could reopen if Itauma lands in the same area, increasing the possibility of another stoppage caused by damage rather than punches alone.

Itauma enters the contest with considerable momentum. His most notable recent performance came in March, when he stopped fringe contender Jermaine Franklin in the fifth round. That victory strengthened the view that the unbeaten 21-year-old could develop into a genuine world-class heavyweight.

The winner will claim the IBF belt that became vacant in June after Oleksandr Usyk gave up the title. Frank Sanchez, the mandatory challenger, agreed to step aside in a deal with Queensberry promoter Frank Warren. Sanchez received financial compensation and is set to face the winner of Itauma and Hrgovic at a later stage.

Itauma is widely regarded as the favourite and could become the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson defeated Trevor Berbick in 1986. Hrgovic, however, is expected to provide the toughest examination of Itauma’s career so far, with his experience and physical resilience offering a test of the prospect’s ability to handle sustained pressure.