Filip Hrgovic has offered a candid and sobering insight into the physical ordeal he endured before securing a stunning stoppage victory over Moses Itauma last month, revealing that the sheer volume of heavy punches he absorbed in the opening eight rounds left him battling persistent headaches for days afterwards.
The Croatian fighter, who was crowned the new IBF world heavyweight champion following the dramatic turn of events, admitted that the punishing contest took a severe toll on his body. Despite his triumph on a memorable night in the division, the aftermath was characterized less by celebratory revelry and more by recovery.
“I felt fucked up,” said the 34-year-old Hrgovic, reflecting on the gruelling nature of the title bout. “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 victory marked a career-defining moment for the Croatian, who has his sights set firmly on unifying the heavyweight division. As he plans his next moves—which could potentially feature a bout against former Dutch kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven on the undercard of the long-awaited and repeatedly delayed clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, expected to take place in Cardiff on December 11—Hrgovic took time to look back at the immediate aftermath of the Itauma encounter that fundamentally changed his career trajectory.
Rather than engaging in traditional post-fight celebrations, the newly crowned champion opted for quiet seclusion. “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.”
The fight itself was a tactical and physical war that pushed both competitors to their absolute limits. While Itauma ultimately faded in the ninth round after setting a blistering, unsustainable pace that eventually depleted his energy reserves, Hrgovic remains deeply impressed by the extraordinary skill set of his vanquished opponent. The 21-year-old British prodigy, despite suffering the first defeat of his professional career, left a lasting impression on the champion.
Hrgovic believes that Itauma possesses such rare and formidable talent that, should he properly process and learn from the painful experience of his maiden defeat, he could potentially become an unbeatable force in the heavyweight division.
“He’s really good. He’s special,” Hrgovic noted. “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.”
However, the road to recovery for the young British contender is fraught with psychological hurdles, according to the veteran champion. Itauma represents a complex character, and Hrgovic suggested that substantial questions remain regarding whether the youngster possesses the necessary mental fortitude to bounce back from such a devastating setback on the grandest stage.
“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 said. “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 wake of his shattering defeat, intense scrutiny has fallen on various remarks made by Itauma prior to the opening bell, including implications regarding his sparring regimen and whether he had ever previously experienced a complete 12-round training camp. Hrgovic, however, dismissed the notion that physical preparation alone was the deciding factor in the ring, pointing instead to the intangible elements of boxing experience and mental resilience.
“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.”
Contrasting his own preparation methods with those of his younger opponent, Hrgovic was outspoken about the stark differences in their respective training philosophies. While Itauma has often been associated with modern, holistic approaches to athletic conditioning, the Croatian champion firmly advocates for a more traditional, uncompromising style of preparation.
“You have to go through a ruthless, hard training camp. You need to go through hell to be mentally ready for this shit,” Hrgovic stated. “Old school is the best school. I told Itauma this before the fight. 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.”
Despite eventually wearing down the younger fighter and forcing a ninth-round stoppage after Itauma exhausted his reserves, Hrgovic admitted that certain aspects of the bout still rankle him. For the first time in his two-decade-long boxing career, the veteran felt thoroughly outboxed during the early stages of a contest, a realization that continues to fuel a sense of competitive pride.
“I’m still kind of angry because he outboxed me,” Hrgovic confessed. “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.”
Now enjoying the fruits of his labor as the undisputed focal point of the division, Hrgovic is fully embracing his new status and looking forward to a long and successful reign at the pinnacle of heavyweight boxing.
“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.”
