Itauma insisted the addition of the title modified nothing about his method.
“I didn’t actually have any response,” Itauma mentioned to the media this week. “If I’m already preventing Hrgovic and I’ve received the chance for it to be a world title, I mentioned, ‘yeah, chuck the world title on the road.’ I didn’t actually have any feeling about it. I used to be taking Hrgovic critically anyway, and now that the combat’s for a world title, I’m nonetheless taking him critically. It’s the identical combat, isn’t it?”
Cautious matchmaking guided Itauma so far. Mariusz Wach and Mike Balogun have been previous 40 once they fought him. Dillian Whyte was 37, and Dan Garber was 38. These opponents allowed the younger prospect to attain fast knockouts whereas constructing his fame as a harmful puncher.
High quality is extra vital than age. Itauma has not crushed anybody close to the highest of the division. Jermaine Franklin prolonged him 5 rounds in March, however Hrgovic represents a significant soar in competitors.
Questions additionally stay about his newbie expertise. Itauma turned skilled younger after a comparatively temporary run moderately than spending years going through senior opponents from Cuba, Japanese Europe and america.
Itauma is already trying towards future competitors.
“It’ll should be Agit Kabayel,” Itauma mentioned. “He’s crushed everyone that’s there. … He’s just about crushed everybody who’s rising proper now, so I’d most likely say he’ll most likely be the most important rival, if that is sensible.”
Kabayel constructed his standing by beating professional heavyweights. Itauma has but to succeed in that degree.
Hrgovic brings measurement, sturdiness and expertise in opposition to higher opposition. Itauma acknowledges the problem of the combat, calling the Croatian “stable” and saying, “I’m in for an extended evening, however I’ll be all proper.”
Earlier than Kabayel or Daniel Dubois turns into related, Itauma has a extra fast query to reply on August 29. Can the fastidiously managed prospect ship when confronted together with his first critical heavyweight check?
