Hrgović broke Itauma's momentum. Now the IBF belt brings a different fight.

Filip Hrgović's ninth-round comeback against Moses Itauma made Croatian boxing history. The more complicated question is whether he takes an IBF mandatory or chases a heavyweight unification.

Published: 2026-10-09

Filip Hrgović became Croatia’s first heavyweight world champion by doing something unglamorous: surviving the part of a fight in which almost everything was going wrong. The 34-year-old stopped Moses Itauma in the ninth round at London’s O2 Arena on 29 August to take the vacant IBF title. It was a championship won less by effortless superiority than by absorbing the young contender’s best work and finding the moment when the pace changed.

That makes the usual headline — ‘what next for Hrgović?’ — worth answering seriously. A belt gives him leverage, but it also gives him obligations. A rematch with a marketable young opponent, a mandatory defence against Frank Sanchez and a possible unification do not serve the same strategic or financial purpose.

What the Itauma fight actually proved

Itauma’s early speed was not hype invented after the fact. Contemporary reporting describes him dominating large spells of the opening eight rounds, dropping Hrgović in round two and repeatedly catching the older man with combinations. Hrgović was not smoothly outboxing a prospect from the opening bell. He was under heavy pressure and had to survive it.

The ninth-round finish matters because it showed a different side of the champion: his ability to remain dangerous after losing rounds and absorbing damage. Reuters described Itauma tiring before Hrgović mounted a sustained assault that forced the stoppage. That is a boxing lesson about pacing, resilience and the risk of believing early dominance guarantees late control.

Strengths that travel — and weaknesses that do not vanish

At his best Hrgović can make the ring feel narrow. His height and straight punching discourage an opponent from standing directly in front of him, while his experience helps him handle moments that may panic a younger fighter. But the Itauma contest also left vulnerabilities visible: quicker entries troubled him, and he took serious punishment before finding his comeback.

Against a heavyweight who can keep a disciplined pace for twelve rounds, that late-fight escape route becomes less reliable. He cannot assume every challenger will fatigue at the same point, or that the referee will always give him the time to recover from an early knockdown.

Frank Sanchez and the mandatory question

Reuters reported promoter Frank Warren indicating that Frank Sanchez would have to be Hrgović’s next opponent. That is materially more concrete than an invented list of fantasy matchups, although actual scheduling and the latest sanctioning position should always be verified before announcing a bout.

Sanchez would pose an awkward tactical problem. He is known as a measured, mobile heavyweight rather than a prospect eager to unload all his offence in bursts. A disciplined opponent who makes Hrgović reset and denies him static exchanges could test whether the champion can win rounds without needing a dramatic momentum swing.

Why Kabayel changes the conversation

WBC champion Agit Kabayel was also in the post-fight picture; Reuters reported Hrgović expressing interest in a unification and Kabayel greeting him in the ring. Interest is not an agreement. But stylistically the attraction is obvious: a unification would answer whether Hrgović can deal with a pressure fighter who works persistently rather than relying mainly on short explosive attacks.

The sensible route may therefore differ from the most exciting route. Protecting the IBF title through a mandatory can consolidate his position. Taking a unification increases historical stakes and the risk of losing the belt quickly. There is no point pretending those choices are identical.

The next test

Hrgović has already provided one of 2026’s great heavyweight reversals. To establish a reign, he now needs to prove that the recovery was a foundation, not the last escape of a durable veteran. Fans should judge his next opponent on what the matchup actually tests: pace control, defensive responsibility and the ability to win without waiting for the other man to unravel.