Filip Hrgovic
Filip Hrgovic silenced the hype surrounding Moses Itauma with a stunning ninth-round stoppage to capture the vacant IBF heavyweight title. Written off by many beforehand, the Croatian veteran produced the performance of his career on away soil.
Heading into August, much of the heavyweight conversation revolved around Moses Itauma. The unbeaten British prospect was widely viewed as the future of the division, with many expecting him to pass the toughest test of his career against Filip Hrgovic and take a major step towards heavyweight supremacy.
Hrgovic had other ideas.
On 29 August at The O2 in London, the Croatian delivered a masterclass in resilience, experience and composure. Facing a younger, faster and heavily favoured opponent, Hrgovic refused to be overwhelmed by the occasion. Instead, he gradually imposed himself on the fight, using his jab, timing and physical strength to break down Itauma over the championship rounds.
As the contest progressed, Hrgovic's experience began to tell. He weathered Itauma's best moments, remained disciplined under pressure and steadily turned the tide. By the second half of the fight, the momentum had shifted completely. Hrgovic's accuracy and relentless pressure took a visible toll, and in the ninth round he forced a stoppage victory that shocked much of the boxing world.
The win was significant for more than just the result. Hrgovic not only handed one of boxing's most highly regarded young heavyweights the first defeat of his professional career, but also claimed the vacant IBF heavyweight championship. In a month packed with high-profile fights, no victory carried greater significance or altered the landscape of the sport more dramatically.
For defeating an elite undefeated contender, capturing a world heavyweight title and producing one of the year's biggest upsets, Filip Hrgovic is Raised Fighting's Fighter of the Month for August 2026.