Pacing and patience: heavyweight lessons Itauma must learn after harsh reality check | Donald McRae

The 21-year-old had never gone past six rounds before Hrgovic defeat and his corner should have adapted strategy

The end, when it came for Moses Itauma, was as shocking as it was worrying. Late on Saturday night, moving into the championship rounds of his first world heavyweight title fight, the 21‑year‑old had dictated the pace and dazzled Filip Hrgovic with his speed and skill. The 34‑year‑old Croat admitted that he believed Itauma had won each of the first eight rounds. And yet, in the fateful ninth, Itauma stumbled and weaved across the ring like a dazed and drunken kid. He looked lost and utterly spent.

Exhaustion had reduced him to the point where, as the experienced Hrgovic tore into him, Itauma also resembled a rag doll on the ropes. With the final two punches Hrgovic sunk a right into Itauma’s sagging body before nailing him with a pulverising left cross. It was so clearly over in that desolate moment that three things happened almost simultaneously.

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