Filip Hrgovic has offered a candid and visceral insight into the severe physical ordeal he endured before securing a stunning stoppage victory over Moses Itauma to capture the IBF world heavyweight championship last month.
The 34-year-old Croatian fighter revealed that he absorbed so many heavy, unanswered punches during the opening eight rounds of the bout that he suffered lingering headaches and extreme fatigue for days afterward. Despite pulling off one of the most dramatic turnarounds of his professional career, the newly crowned champion admitted that the toll of the contest left him physically depleted.
“I felt fucked up,” said Hrgovic, reflecting on the brutal exchanges that preceded his ninth-round breakthrough. “I received a lot of shots and I was bruised. I had a bit of a headache for a few days. On the Wednesday after the fight I was back in the gym, working out already, but for a few days I felt really tired and bruised, with some headaches.”
The fight, which took place in late August, fundamentally altered the heavyweight landscape and instantly changed Hrgovic’s life. However, the immediate aftermath bore little resemblance to conventional championship celebrations. Rather than partaking in post-fight festivities, the weary victor chose quiet recovery over revelry.
“I didn’t celebrate. I just went home to rest,” Hrgovic said. “It was such a hard fight I didn’t even do my tradition after I win, when I go to McDonald’s. I didn’t have the strength.”
Looking ahead, Hrgovic harbors ambitious plans to unify the heavyweight division and cement his legacy at the pinnacle of the sport. As part of that ongoing journey, discussions are already underway regarding a potential defense or appearance on a major upcoming card. Hrgovic noted there is a distinct possibility he could face Rico Verhoeven, the prominent Dutch fighter and former world kickboxing champion, on the undercard of the much-delayed blockbuster bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, which is expected to finally take place in Cardiff on December 11.
Yet, despite his own championship triumph and future aspirations, much of the post-fight discourse continues to center on the 21-year-old British prodigy he defeated. Hrgovic holds an immense amount of respect for Itauma’s raw capabilities, going so far as to suggest that if the young contender can successfully process and learn from his first professional defeat, he possesses the tools to become virtually unbeatable.
“He’s really good. He’s special,” Hrgovic said of his former opponent. “Very fast, very talented and he countered whatever I tried with his speed and timing. I never was in the ring before with such a talented kid, with such a fast guy. You have some fast guys but they’re small heavyweights. You can handle them with your power but this kid is fast and big. He’s got great IQ and great talent. If he recovers from this loss, mentally, it will be hard for anyone to ever beat him again.”
At the same time, Hrgovic pointed out that Itauma remains a complex character, noting that significant questions still linger regarding the youngster’s psychological resilience following such a devastating setback.
“We’ll see. It was a big shock for him, a big humiliation, so maybe it’s the end of his career if he’s not mentally tough,” Hrgovic remarked. “A lot of people, after that kind of loss, never come back. It will be a hard journey for him to come back but if he recovers and he does not lose his confidence then, with this experience, I think no one will ever beat him again.”
In the weeks following the shattering defeat, intense scrutiny has fallen on comments Itauma made prior to the bout implying he had never sparred for 12 successive rounds during his training camps. Hrgovic, however, believes the issue extends far beyond physical conditioning or the endurance required for championship distance.
“It’s not about physical preparation. It’s about experience and mentality,” Hrgovic explained. “If we go for a run now, or we’re in the gym together, he’s in tremendous shape. He will beat me in every exercise, running, hitting the heavy bag. I think he was physically ready but it’s the mental part. It’s experience.”
To illustrate his point, the IBF champion drew a sharp contrast between his own rigorous, old-school preparation methods and the modern, highly managed lifestyle surrounding elite young prospects like Itauma.
“You have to go through a ruthless, hard training camp. You need to go through hell to be mentally ready for this shit. Old school is the best school. I told Itauma this before the fight,” Hrgovic said. “He’s drinking water, hugging trees in the morning, saying hello to the sun. He does a lot of this bullshit. He’s surrounded by 10,000 yes-men, nutritionists and a coach for sleeping. You can’t get ready for a war this way.”
That stark philosophical divide played out in real-time inside the ring. After setting a blistering, high-tempo pace in the early frames, an exhausted Itauma ultimately ran out of energy, allowing the durable Croatian to overwhelm him in the ninth round.
Even in victory, however, Hrgovic admitted to lingering frustration regarding the tactical battle that preceded the stoppage. The veteran champion confessed that Itauma’s exceptional skill level caught him off guard in a way few opponents ever had.
“I’m still kind of angry because he outboxed me,” Hrgovic admitted. “In my whole career, in 20 years of boxing, I was never outboxed in any sparring or any fight. I was always competitive. But this kid outboxed me. On that night, I think he will beat anyone apart from myself. But that night I refused to lose.”
Having finally reached the summit of the heavyweight division after two decades in the sport, Hrgovic is fully embracing the rewards and responsibilities of championship status. With his health recovered and his sights set firmly on future unification bouts, the Croatian contender is eager to extend his reign as long as possible.
“If I knew it would be so good I would have won the championship before,” Hrgovic said. “It’s amazing to be world champion. I want to unify the division and stay here as long as possible. I feel great.”
