“In my view, Moses was significantly ahead before simply getting caught. He seemed to injure his leg, though I’m not certain what occurred there, and he ran out of gas. That is the reality of the situation. Ultimately, the superior fighter emerged victorious,” Warren remarked to talkSPORT Boxing.
While his concluding admission was reasonable, the remainder of his statement spun a steady collapse into what sounded like a dominant showing halted only by a lucky blow. Furthermore, his lack of clarity regarding the leg injury means that theory remains unverified.
Spectators urging Itauma to coast on his scorecard advantage failed to recognize what transpired when he attempted to do so. The relentless pressure from Hrgovic prevented any comfortable rounds. Safely guarding his lead demanded a level of mobility and defensive mastery that Itauma simply could not maintain.
His defensive movement usually involved stepping backward just a few feet before stopping to throw counterpunches. This strategy mirrored the pull-back technique employed by Shakur, yet it gave Hrgovic a direct path to close the distance once more. Had he pivoted or altered his angles, his opponent would have been forced to reposition before launching another attack. Instead, despite connecting with numerous shots, Itauma discovered that his power could not deter Hrgovic from firing back. He succeeded in generating space to strike but failed to establish an escape route from the exchanges.
The parallels drawn to Muhammad Ali appeared overly charitable. A youthful Ali possessed the footwork to keep rivals in constant pursuit. Itauma, by contrast, was unable to distance himself sufficiently or for a long enough duration to find any respite.
The spectacle resembled a power source slowly depleting with each passing period. However, tiredness was merely one factor. The blows landed by Hrgovic were visibly damaging him, steadily reducing his capacity to protect himself or evade subsequent onslaughts.
Trainer Abel Sanchez noted that he observed Itauma’s movement deteriorating during the sixth and seventh frames. Forcing Itauma to expend energy while keeping Hrgovic in close proximity had been a deliberate strategy. The rival camp had fully foreseen the exact depletion that Warren highlighted after the bout.
On the occasions Itauma managed to stun Hrgovic, his efforts to secure a stoppage only drained his stamina further and exposed him to powerful counter-attacks. Hrgovic consistently bounced back to pose a threat, whereas Itauma found it harder and harder to recover or stay competitive.
Although Warren can reference the judges’ marks, those numbers provided no shield against the incoming assault. Hrgovic neutralized his opponent’s recovery time, endured his counterpunches, and exploited every defensive lapse. Such a performance goes far beyond simply landing a fortunate punch.
