{"id":939519,"date":"2026-10-24T18:08:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T18:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/939519\/"},"modified":"2026-10-24T18:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T18:08:09","slug":"filip-hrgovic-names-the-best-hes-faced-after-fighting-both-daniel-dubois-and-moses-itauma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/939519\/","title":{"rendered":"Filip Hrgovic names the best he’s faced after fighting both Daniel Dubois and Moses Itauma"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having shared the ring with both Daniel Dubois<\/a> and Moses Itauma<\/a>, IBF champion Filip Hrgovic<\/a> has revealed that one of them, despite not hitting the hardest, is probably the best fighter he has ever faced.<\/p>\n

The Croatian claimed his world heavyweight title in August, pulling off a sizable upset by stopping Itauma in nine rounds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Despite suffering an early knockdown \u2013 and, for the most part, getting thoroughly outclassed \u2013 Hrgovic managed to outlast his less experienced opponent in spectacular fashion.<\/p>\n

As for his 2024 encounter with Dubois, \u2018El Animal\u2019 was involved in a far more competitive contest and, by some estimations, had successfully built a slight lead.<\/p>\n

That was until he got stopped in round eight, as after sustaining cuts over both eyes, it was ultimately deemed unsafe for Hrgovic to continue<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dubois, meanwhile, went on to score a fifth-round finish over Anthony Joshua before losing his IBF title via the same result against Oleksandr Usyk.<\/p>\n

Having since scored back-to-back stoppages over Fabio Wardley, though, the 29-year-old has become a two-time world champion and is now considered one of the sport\u2019s leading heavyweights.<\/p>\n

But despite crediting Dubois\u2019 power, Hrgovic has told Ariel Helwani<\/a> that Itauma\u2019s superior speed and boxing IQ presented more of a problem for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s very good. He\u2019s maybe the best who I fought. The quickest guy, the best IQ, the best timing and speed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s not the biggest puncher. I received harder punches from Dubois, from [David] Adeleye [and] from [Zhilei] Zhang.\u201d<\/p>\n

Filip Hrgovic calls Moses Itauma the best boxer he’s ever faced, but says he isn’t the biggest puncher:<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he’s very good. He’s maybe the best who I fought. The quickest guy, the best IQ, the best timing and speed.<\/p>\n

But he’s not the biggest puncher. I received harder\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/mbMfRe6Y4G<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Hrgovic controversially outpointed Zhang after surviving a first-round knockdown, while his 2025 encounter with Adeleye resulted in a far clearer unanimous decision victory.<\/p>\n