Frank Warren, the prominent boxing promoter, has outlined plans to meet with Moses Itauma and his team following the British heavyweight’s unexpected ninth-round stoppage loss to Filip Hrgovic in their IBF title bout on Saturday. The 21-year-old Itauma, widely regarded as one of the most promising young heavyweights in the sport, suffered his first professional defeat in a contest held at London’s O2 Arena.

Warren expressed disappointment with aspects of Itauma’s performance, particularly how the fighter managed the fight’s pace. According to Warren, Itauma began strongly and built a convincing lead but failed to conserve energy and adapt tactics as the bout progressed, ultimately leading to his exhaustion and stoppage. “He just went and put his foot on the accelerator and pushed it into overdrive and never took it off,” Warren said. He added that Itauma had the speed and skill to box strategically over the full 12 rounds but instead appeared set on forcing a stoppage, a decision Warren and others viewed as detrimental to the fighter’s chances.

The fighter’s trainer, Ben Davison, has come under scrutiny for the perceived lack of preparation and fight management. Davison, who was praised for his work with Tyson Fury in the past, including recognising Fury’s endurance, previously faced criticism following Fabio Wardley’s defeat to Daniel Dubois earlier this year. Despite these concerns, Warren continues to support the team's efforts and plans to discuss necessary changes with Itauma directly. Francis Warren, Frank’s son and Itauma’s manager, is also involved in guiding his career moving forward.

Warren revealed that he had reservations about matching Itauma against the experienced Croatian Hrgovic but acknowledged that facing top-level opposition is part of long-term development. He referenced storied heavyweight champions Wladimir Klitschko and Joe Louis as examples of fighters who recovered and grew stronger after setbacks. “I think he’ll learn from it,” Warren said of Itauma, noting that the young boxer would need to adjust his approach to fight management to succeed at the highest level.

Filip Hrgovic, 34, who handed Itauma his first defeat, previously suffered an upset loss to Daniel Dubois, who notably stopped Hrgovic last year. Dubois himself, currently rebuilding after his first career loss to Oleksandr Usyk, praised both fighters following Itauma’s defeat. “Itauma was in with a real good fighter. He’ll be back. Hrgovic, man, is a tough guy,” Dubois commented. Dubois is scheduled to defend his WBO heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley on October 17 in another bout set for the O2 Arena.

Separately, Warren addressed recent delays in finalising the long-anticipated fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He confirmed that Fury has signed the contract for the bout, which is expected to take place in New York, while Joshua had yet to commit officially. Warren indicated that Fury remained unfazed by the ongoing negotiations and that multiple locations had been discussed, including Barbados and the Isle of Wight. “He’s signed. He don’t care,” Warren said.