Hrgovic Names His Price for a Moses Itauma Rematch

Filip Hrgovic will give Moses Itauma his rematch — but only once he's holding all four belts. The IBF heavyweight champion told Ring Magazine he's open to running it back with the 21-year-old, just not before he becomes undisputed. That's a tall order, and it pushes any sequel well into the future.

The context matters. Back in August, Itauma was the heavy favorite and on track to become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion in history. Instead the 34-year-old Hrgovic flipped the script, taking the vacant strap via ninth-round stoppage in one of the year's biggest upsets. Itauma has wanted the rematch ever since. Hrgovic, by his own account, hasn't had anyone from Itauma's camp actually ask him for one.

The Croatian Homecoming

Rather than circle back to Itauma, Hrgovic is eyeing a return in early 2027 for his first mandatory defense — reportedly against Cuba's Frank Sanchez. That would make it the first heavyweight world title fight ever staged on Croatian soil, a nice bit of history for the 6'6" Zagreb native. Sanchez is no gimme either: he's 26-1 (19 KO), ranked #7, and coming off a second-round knockout of Richard Torrez.

The Road to Undisputed

Get past Sanchez and the map gets interesting. A unification rematch with WBO champ Daniel Dubois (23-3, 22 KO) looks like the next logical target. Dubois has looked sharp lately, stopping Fabio Wardley in the eleventh. From there, the WBC belt held by unbeaten Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO) would complete a three-belt haul.

The fourth piece is the wild card. The WBA super title is on the line when Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua collide in December — Joshua sitting at 29-4 (26 KO) after flattening Jake Paul in six. Whoever walks out with that belt becomes the final hurdle in Hrgovic's undisputed chase.

Itauma, meanwhile, isn't going anywhere. He's expected back in the ring in January, looking to rebuild and remind everyone why he was the sport's hottest prospect in the first place. If he runs the table and Hrgovic actually clears his own gauntlet, the rematch writes itself. That's a lot of ifs — and a lot of time before anyone cashes the check.