Moses Itauma’s promoter has confirmed the 21-year-old boxer has been released from hospital following his dramatic stretcher exit from London’s O2 Arena.
Frank Warren, the veteran British promoter, shared the update after Itauma’s failed bid to become the youngest British heavyweight champion ended in a ninth-round stoppage loss to Filip Hrgovic on Friday night. The Kent fighter had been carried from the ringside area on a stretcher in visibly distressed condition, prompting concern among the arena crowd.
“Moses has gone to the hospital for a check up,” Warren said in his initial ringside comments as the incident unfolded. “It’s precautionary that he’s gone to the hospital. That’s what we always do to make sure because the most important thing is the boxer’s health.”
The promoter later confirmed Itauma had since left medical care. Warren had earlier noted the fighter appeared to have sustained a leg injury during the contest, telling reporters: “He’s done something to his leg as well and he was quite tired. It was a high paced, fast fight for both the guys. It was just edge of your seat stuff all the way through.”
Doctors had indicated the fighter was doing okay, though Warren stopped short of predicting a swift competitive return.
The psychological toll of the defeat appeared to weigh equally heavily on Warren’s mind. “I don’t even know how he feels mentally. Mentally, he’s going to be completely down. We’re going to have to talk to him and lift him and see what he’s like,” the promoter shared. “It’s going to take some time. He’s going to have a nice break. It’s not even the time to talk about it with him at the moment.”
Warren indicated any discussion about Itauma’s future path would wait several weeks at minimum. “It’s something we’re probably doing in two weeks or even a month’s time, see where we go with it,” he added.
Hrgovic, 34, proved a gracious victor despite the brutal nature of the finish. The Croatian acknowledged he had been outboxed through much of the contest before finding his decisive surge.
“I was losing every round, I was getting outboxed but somehow I found the energy and the punch to change it all. I was in the best shape of my life,” Hrgovic said post-fight. “He is the best fighter I have been in with but he needs more experience, he gassed out. I knew I had the pace in my favour.”
The visitor’s strategy had relied precisely on this calculation. “I knew from the first round that he would gas out and then I would push and that’s what I did,” Hrgovic continued, calling his opponent “one of a kind” and “an amazing fighter.”
Itauma had entered the ring with explosive early intent, dominating the initial exchanges of a bout billed ‘Witness History.’ The 21-year-old’s high-output approach gradually faded as Hrgovic assumed control through the eighth and ninth rounds, culminating in Itauma’s corner intervening to halt proceedings. The BBC described the subsequent stretcher scene as “sobering.”