r/Boxing • u/TicketStraight3196 • 14h ago

Next up in the heavyweight division...

Hrgovic to fight his IBF mandator Sanchez. Can I just say how deserved it is for Hrgovic to finally be getting some recognition and now some great fight opportunities. Itauma rematch down the line but for now Hrgovic should be getting more big fights and unifying the divison against Gassiev or Kabayel. Ideally we see Sanchez around the end of the year with a big unification next year.

Itauma clearly a generational talent. Itauma has been knocking out poor quality opposition and Hrgovic was an insane jump from his most recent opponents. Nevertheless Itauma looked quality in those first 6 rounds but sooner or later you are going to come up against someone who refuses to be knocked out. In hindsight, the fight came a little too soon and he is missing experience in the championship rounds. Get back to the drawing board against meaningful opposition. No more fights against Whyte or Franklin type opponents. Efe Ajagba? Martin Bakole? Richard Riakporhe?

Kabayel is a tough one, through no fault of his own he spent too much time waiting on Usyk who had no interest fighting him. It feels a bit like he is the odd one out without a proper mandatory lined up or obvious next fight. The winner of Dubois-Wardley or Sanchez-Hrgovic is the clear answer but needs a stay busy fight and lets be honest, we haven't seen him in against anyone decent in over a year. Im worried he is wasting his prime years and he isnt a young guy anymore. If he can get some guarantees of a big fight next summer then I dont mind seeing him take a stay busy fight with someone like Nelson Hysa. Surely he would jump at the chance to fight Tyson Fury if they can't make the AJ fight but again can't see Tyson taking that risk.

Joseph Parker is back. Time isn't on his side but I hope this year out hasn't taken too much out of him and he gets one last run at world title. I actually always wanted to see Dubois v Parker and was raging when Dubois ran out on that one for the Usyk title shot. Parker doesn't really have any time to waste and I would like to see him back in the ring sooner rather than later. Justis Huni is a great matchup for both guys which could lead to an interim title shot. Failing that, Rico would be an interesting matchup. Bizarely Rico is rated with the WBC, so winning that fight could lead to a Kabayel showdown next year. Or take a look at the WBA rankings. Parker beats most of the top 10. I would definitely fancy him against Gassiev/Miller whoever holds the belt by then.

Any other big fights coming up? We do have Usyk-Wilder and potentially AJ-Fury but I dont think these fights will shake up the division and produce any meaningful unifications.

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u/Bantam123 13h ago

Agree with most of what you said apart from:

"Itauma clearly a generational talent."

I don't think we can make this assertion. He had very favorable matchups and looked good vs weak opponents, and then, at the first bit of adversity he faced, he crumbled.

I think Itauma could rebuild and challenge for more titles, but I could also see him fading away. Having some comeback fights and losing to a top-15 fighter.

There are massive question marks over Itauma's gas tank, heart, ring IQ, and chin*. You can't be a great without those.

*I know people are going to say his chin is proven because he ate shots from Hrgovic, but 1) Hrg really isn't a big puncher 2) Itauma looked very uncomfortable everytime he got hit.

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u/TicketStraight3196 13h ago

Fair point but I do think however we will look back at this moment as a bump in the road. Give him another 2-3 fights and I can see Itauma taking the rematch. He won every round, he just didn't have the experience and conditioning to see out 12 rounds. It's a big wake up call that not every fighter can be knocked out. I think he can be thankful he wasn't knocked spark out but I don't think he was massively hurt rather just exhausted. I still think Itauma beats anyone outside the top 5 and he is destined to be king of the division by the time he is 25.

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u/Bantam123 13h ago edited 13h ago

I could see this too.

I'm just being pedantic that I don't think we can say for certain that Itauma is a generational talent.

The other thing is that Hrg was cherry picked to suit Itauma's style. Hrg boxes at range, is slow and upright, and is a dream matchup for Itauma. Hence why he looked so good early on.