Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic have presented an intriguing study in contrast this week. The 21-year-old prodigy from Chatham in Kent, of Slovakian and Nigerian descent, has been a thoughtful and slightly brooding presence while the seasoned 34-year-old from Croatia has been full of sunshine and songs. On Tuesday, Hrgovic burst into a room where a few boxing writers sat and, looking tanned without a shirt beneath his leather gilet, belted out a word-perfect version of Saturday Night at the Movies, a 1965 ditty by the Drifters.
It was Hrgovic’s way of offering an alternative to the sombre reality of facing Itauma at the O2 on Saturday night as they fight for the IBF world title. While many pundits believe Itauma is the most thrilling and menacing young heavyweight since Mike Tyson, Hrgovic serenaded us about picking up his baby at eight o’clock on Saturday night and taking her to the picture show. Hrgovic then cheerfully switched gears and, trying to unsettle his rival psychologically, suggested Itauma could be ruined by celebrity and wealth if he becomes the second‑youngest heavyweight world champion in history.
Itauma thinks deeply about the consequences of fame and so he did not brush aside Hrgovic’s comments. But I’ve always said I want to start off like Mike Tyson started, but not end up how Mike Tyson ended. I just don’t want to make the same mistakes he made.
People are recognising me at places where I don’t want to be recognised. Coping with that takes a certain degree of mental toughness. So there is such a thing as too early, but I’m taking the necessary precautions to handle it.” Itauma then considered the strange nature of fame.
Someone might look up to me and hold me in such high regard, but I don’t even know them. And when I meet them it might be an off day where I’m not exactly feeling like I want to interact with anyone, and all of a sudden that person’s turned into my biggest hater. I respect the people that come to watch me boxing but there’s an element of my own personal space that I need.
But people start thinking, just because you’re in the public eye, that you are public property, and obviously you ain’t.” The sceptical new sensation Itauma said he has thought “that my life was fake anyway. Since I was 18 I felt like I’m doing something I’m not supposed to do. It doesn’t really make me uncomfortable because I need to do something and, if I’m good at boxing, then why not?
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