Itauma to return in December as Usyk and Hrgovic talks loom

Moses Itauma, the 20 year old British heavyweight who stunned the division with a 119 second knockout of veteran Dillian Whyte on August 16 in Riyadh, is expected to return in December as his handlers weigh higher‑profile opponents and debate whether the prodigy should be fast‑tracked toward a title shot. His manager Francis Warren and Queensberry promoter Frank Warren said Itauma will fight again before year end and identified Croatian Filip Hrgovic as their preferred next opponent, while discussions about a potential showdown with undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk and other big names continue.

Itauma improved to 13‑0 with 11 knockouts and nine stoppage wins inside two rounds by dismantling Whyte, 37, in what many have called the young southpaw's signature victory. "He will fight again in December, the world is his oyster," Francis Warren told Boxing News, adding that the Hrgovic option depends on how quickly the Croatian's cut from his recent win heals. Hrgovic is ranked among the division's top contenders and a clash could carry implications for WBO positioning, with some reports suggesting it would serve as an eliminator for Joseph Parker's WBO interim title.