Moses Itauma-Filip Hrgovic Official For The O2 On August 29

Moses Itauma will face Filip Hrgovic in a heavyweight fight at The O2 in London on Saturday, 29 August, live on DAZN PPV. The bout matches one of the division’s leading young contenders with a former IBF No.1 challenger who has rebuilt with three straight wins since his only defeat.

Itauma, 21, enters the fight unbeaten and holding the WBO Intercontinental, WBA International and Commonwealth titles. The southpaw has been moved quickly and this is his clearest step up to date, with Hrgovic, 34, bringing Olympic pedigree, top-level experience and current rankings across the major sanctioning bodies.

Hrgovic accepts August date

The fight had been expected to follow Hrgovic’s recent Queensberry activity, with George Warren indicating that a framework was already in place through a pre-agreed option from Hrgovic’s contract renewal. Dan Rafael later reported that, per a source involved, Hrgovic initially turned down the 29 August date because he did not want to fight so soon after his win over Dave Allen, before accepting and signing.

Hrgovic was last out in mid-May at the home of Doncaster FC, where he stopped Allen in the third round. That victory followed wins over Joe Joyce and David Adeleye, giving the Croatian three consecutive victories since his career-first loss to Daniel Dubois in June 2024.

The Croatian had also called for the Itauma fight and said, “Moses never reached the promised land.” His willingness to take the bout so soon after Allen gives the match-up added significance, particularly because he is viewed as the kind of opponent who can extend Itauma beyond the early rounds and test areas of his game that have rarely been examined.

Itauma has not heard the final bell since two six-round development fights in 2023. In his 10 fights since then, six have ended in the first round, including against Dillian Whyte and Demsey McKean, while three finished in the second, before Jermaine Franklin Jr took him into the fifth round in March.

Frank Warren said the fight was one his side had pushed to complete, stating: “This has got all the makings of a classic heavyweight confrontation and we were determined to get it over the line. This fight is the litmus test Moses is ready for and it is the one he wanted. Filip believes it will be too much too soon for the young star. At The O2 on August 29th we will find out on what will be another incredible night for British boxing.”

Itauma is ranked No.1 by the WBA and WBO, with Hrgovic also highly placed, including No.2 with the WBO and No.4 with both the WBC and IBF. Despite the experience gap, bookmakers have Itauma as a strong favourite at 1/9, with Hrgovic available at 6/1.

The next phase will centre on the launch promotion and the full undercard for The O2, while the result is likely to shape both fighters’ positions in the heavyweight title queue heading into the final part of the year.