“If he was from Bulgaria, no one would ever heard of him, you know. He would still boxing in Bulgaria national team fighting for peanuts. No one would care of him,” Hrgovic said to DAZN Boxing. “And now he’s from Great Britain. He already made millions probably and big fights headlining O2 in London.”
There is plenty of truth behind Hrgovic’s argument.
Britain possesses the media apparatus to turn a talented young heavyweight into an attraction quickly. Queensberry can place Itauma on major cards, DAZN provides a large international audience, and domestic outlets supply constant coverage. A prospect facing the same caliber of opposition without that machinery in Bulgaria would remain virtually invisible outside hardcore boxing circles.
That does not mean Itauma lacks talent. His speed and power are obvious, with Hrgovic giving him credit for both. His point is that the praise has raced far beyond what Itauma’s opposition actually justifies.
There is another important part of the equation. Itauma never went through the elite senior amateur system. He enjoyed an excellent youth career, winning European and World Youth titles, but turned professional before an Olympic cycle or senior international tournament forced him to deal with seasoned heavyweights from the leading amateur nations.
His professional development has not provided many answers either. Itauma has demolished the soft touches placed in front of him, producing spectacular knockouts without being forced to deal with serious adversity. His win over Dillian Whyte supplied a recognizable name, yet Whyte was 37 and years removed from his best period.
Hrgovic sees a difference between marketing and proof.
“I’ve been in trouble a lot of times. He never been in trouble. Not in his life, not in his career,” Hrgovic said.
Hrgovic also believes he has spotted technical openings those previous opponents lacked the ability to exploit. While analyzing Itauma throwing his left hand, Hrgovic described stepping back and countering with his right. He also believes his jab can disrupt Itauma’s feints and create counterpunching opportunities.
That makes their August 29 fight considerably more interesting than another showcase designed to continue Itauma’s march toward a title shot.
Promotional backing did not give Itauma his natural ability, but it gave his speed and power enormous visibility while careful matchmaking kept him away from many of the difficult tests that might have answered questions about his development.
Hrgovic may finally provide some of those answers. He has been through difficult heavyweight fights, knows how to survive bad moments, and believes he has identified ways to punish Itauma’s offense.
Itauma may prove every bit as good as his supporters believe on August 29. Until then, Hrgovic has a point. The level of praise surrounding Itauma has traveled much further than the level of opposition he has beaten.
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