Statement issued as new medical update given on Moses Itauma after being stretchered out of arena
An update has been given after Moses Itauma was carried from the ringside area on a stretcher following his fight last night (29 August).
The 21-year-old's team has said he is 'well', having been taken to hospital after the defeat.
The fighter from Kent had hoped to claim the title of youngest British heavyweight champion in a clash billed 'Witness History' against Filip Hrgovic at London's O2 Arena.
However, he seemed to punch himself out after an explosive start on the Croatian boxer. Hrgovic took control in the eighth and ninth rounds and Itauma's trainer Ben Davison threw in the towel.
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The Brit appeared totally exhausted and didn't do any immediate post-fight interviews as his promoter, Frank Warren, said he'd been taken to hospital 'for a check-up' but has since returned home.
In an update, Warren's company Queensberry told The Sun: "Moses is well.
“He left the hospital last night and, after being checked over, he is now back home with his family.”
Following the clash on Saturday, the promoter had explained: "It’s precautionary that he’s gone to the hospital. That’s what we always do to make sure because the most important thing is the boxer’s health.
"He’s there and he’s in the best place. We’ll see what happens when I’ve got a report. We’ll obviously let everybody know.
“He’s done something to his leg as well and he was quite tired. It was a high paced, fast fight for both the guys. It was just edge of your seat stuff all the way through.”
Hrgovic, 34, praised his young opponent as he said he is the 'best fighter' he's been up against but that he needs 'more experience'.
"He gassed out. I knew I had the pace in my favour. He gassed out but he is one of a kind," the boxer explained.
“I knew from the first round that he would gas out and then I would push and that’s what I did."
Will Itauma be back?
Warren didn't seem to be able to guarantee the fighter would be back following the sobering scenes.
"It's too early to be making those decisions, you want to talk to him first and he will have to want to do it, which I'm sure he will," the promoter said.
"You find out the calibre of a guy. It's all about the mindset and where they're at. You should learn from something like this and I'm sure he will. That aura of invincibility, at the moment, is gone. People will look at that and maybe it will make it easier to make fights for him.
"Mentally, he's going to be completely down. We're going to have to talk to him and lift him and see what he's like. It's going to take some time. He's still one of the most unbelievable talents I've ever been involved with. We'll stick with him. He needs a bit more ring craft and needs to stop thinking about knocking everyone out.
"Somebody was saying to me this evening [Saturday] that Moses won't feel he's won the world title properly unless he's knocked him out and I didn't like hearing that."
LADbible has contacted Queensberry Promotions for comment.
Jess Battison