Filip Hrgović showed bravery and courage to stop Moses Itauma in Round 9 of their title contest Saturday to become Croatia’s first heavyweight world champion.
With his fighter exhausted and backed up against the ropes, Itauma’s trainer, Ben Davison, threw in the towel in Round 9 to bring an end to a pulsating heavyweight battle in London. Hrgović claimed the vacant IBF belt.
In Birmingham, Chantelle Cameron beat Mikaela Mayer with a unanimous decision to become unified junior middleweight champion.
Itauma pushed Hrgović offstage before Hrgović attempted to slap the Brit in return at a heated weigh-in Friday.
The pair shared an intense, expletive-laden faceoff before Hrgović moved to the front of the stage. Itauma then pushed him and the Croatian lost his balance.
Hrgović climbed back on stage and struck Itauma in the face as the pair had to be pulled apart by security.
“I’m just ready to go. Thank you very much for coming out. Come on! Let’s go,” Itauma said. “I just lost it a little bit but we’re here now.
“I had a little itch, and I just had to scratch it.”
Itauma weighed in heavier than his rival, coming in at 241.7 pounds, with Hrgović hitting the scales at 232.6 pounds.
