Dillian Whyte, who has both fought Moses Itauma and sparred Filip Hrgovic, believes the Croatian poses a genuine threat to the young British heavyweight despite ultimately backing Itauma to come through the test, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Whyte experienced Itauma’s quality at first-hand when the then-rising star stopped him in the first round in August last year, with his power, speed and ability to read opponents proving too much for the veteran.
Itauma has since added a fifth-round stoppage of the durable Jermaine Franklin to his record and is now being steered towards a showdown with Hrgovic, likely in Manchester later this year, after the Croatian returned to winning ways with a third-round finish over Dave Allen earlier this month.
Speaking to IFL TV, Whyte offered a measured assessment of how the fight might unfold.
“Good fight. Dangerous fight for Moses, but good fight for Moses. I think the fight’s more beneficial for Moses than it is for Hrgovic,” Whyte said.
“Hrgovic is a good fighter — he’s tough. He’s not the most powerful guy, he gets cut a lot, and if you’re mobile, he seems to struggle. Moses is quite mobile, but I think it’s a good fight. Perfect fight for Moses at this stage in his career, and I think it’s a winnable fight for Hrgovic.”
Hrgovic, 33, whose only professional defeat came via an eighth-round stoppage on cuts against Daniel Dubois in 2024, has publicly stated his willingness to face Itauma. A victory for the 21-year-old would push him firmly into the world top 10 and place him in line for a world title shot.
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