Moses Itauma posted an Instagram video on Sunday, less than a day after his corner pulled him out in the ninth round against Filip Hrgovic and he was taken to hospital for observation.
“So yesterday wasn’t my night. We attempted greatness and we just fell short to the more experienced man,” Itauma said in the video message posted the day after the fight.
He congratulated Hrgovic, thanked the fans in and outside the arena, and finished with the line: “I’ll be back.”
Exhaustion and a leg injury in the ninth
Itauma dominated the early rounds and looked close to a stoppage before he emptied himself trying to finish Hrgovic. His corner threw in the towel in the ninth round after he became too exhausted to defend himself. Ring-side footage showed him receiving oxygen before being carried out of the arena.
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Promoter Frank Warren told talkSPORT the fighter had a leg problem on top of the exhaustion.
“Moses has gone to hospital. He’s done something to his leg. He did something to his leg and he was exhausted, is the truth of it,” Warren said.
Warren added that the hospital trip was precautionary and that the boxer’s health had to come first.
Croatia’s first heavyweight world champion
Hrgovic, the Croatian challenger, took the vacant IBF world heavyweight title with his win over the previously unbeaten prospect and became the first heavyweight world champion from his country.
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“He is the best fighter I have been in with but he needs more experience, he gassed out,” Hrgovic said after the bout.
Discharged and recovering at home
Itauma was discharged from hospital after examination and is recovering with his family. Saturday’s fight was his first professional defeat and the first time he had been taken beyond the sixth round in his career.
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