Croatian Coach Fires Back at British Media

Ahead of the biggest test of Filip Hrgović's career, as he challenges for the IBF world title on August 29, 2026, at London's O2 Arena, the boxing world is buzzing about his opponent. Young Briton Moses Itauma is increasingly being dubbed the "new Mike Tyson" in the media and compared to Lennox Lewis, but the Croatian camp has a sharp and clear response to such claims.

Comparisons to Tyson and Lewis? "Nonsense and Misplaced"

Tomo Kadić, head coach of the Croatian U19 national boxing team, head coach of the City of Zagreb selection, and founder, owner, and head trainer of BK Gladijator, spoke to Net.hr and minced no words in dismissing any parallels between Itauma and the two heavyweight greats. Kadić believes it's purely a marketing gimmick with no basis in actual boxing achievements.

"Those are their wishes and ambitions to be compared to the best. It's hard to say anyone can be the new Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson stepped into the ring and finished his opponents in the first round, and in what a way-with what punches, technique, feints..." Kadić told Net.hr. He acknowledges Itauma is talented, dangerous, fast, and mobile, but highlights a key difference: "Itauma doesn't step into the ring against a static fighter like Dillian Whyte. Hrga is much more complete and faster, but also, Itauma doesn't have the guard, stance, or boxing maturity that Lennox Lewis had. Comparing him to some of the greatest heavyweights in history is premature and misplaced."

"Tomato Cans" vs. Battle-Hardened Warriors

The experienced Croatian coach is particularly skeptical of the quality of Itauma's opponents so far, suggesting his path to the top has been carefully orchestrated. "Tyson beat much, much more serious fighters in his early days than Itauma has. It seems like he's had these fictitious opponents, tomato cans set up for him to beat," Kadić emphasized.

He also recalled Hrgović's own words to the Brit: "Hrgović told him well-'If you weren't English, brother, nobody would know about you.' That's the reality, and we know it from the boxing world." Kadić adds that today there's an artificial hype, whereas former greats like Tyson and Lewis built their status solely through brutal battles in the ring. "I don't want to and I'm not underestimating Itauma. He's a fast, agile, quality boxer, but dear people, he's not Usyk, Mike Tyson, or Lennox Lewis. That's nonsense," he said.

Announcing the "Croatian Warrior" and Fear of Home Turf

Kadić believes the time has come for Filip Hrgović to show what the "Croatian warrior" is made of and achieve what Željko Mavrović once failed to do against Lennox Lewis. He considers a key advantage the fact that Itauma has never been in a true crisis situation in the ring.

"We don't really know how he behaves in those delicate boxing situations-when a boxer is knocked down, when he takes a punch that echoes through the arena. Filip Hrgović has a strong punch, and I'm really curious to see how Itauma will react when he gets one that really shakes him," Kadić said. His only concern relates to the venue: "The only thing I fear is that Hrga will be boxing on Moses Itauma's home turf, so the judges might lean toward Itauma's side, but I believe in Hrga's capabilities, intelligence, and knowledge."

"Stone, Karst, and Olive"

To conclude, Kadić vividly described what defines Croatia's best boxer and gives him an edge over the young challenger. "In my opinion, Hrgović is genes-stone genes. Stone, karst, and olive. That's what I see in him. Hrgović is a tougher boxer than Itauma," the coach concluded. He's confident that Hrgović will be Itauma's "biggest challenge and biggest mistake," and that experience from his amateur days in the WSB will be a decisive factor.

"Hrga had battles as an amateur in the WSB that Itauma and his people couldn't even write down on paper. Hrgović is a top-tier talent, our best boxer. I believe in Hrgović completely from the first to the last moment," Tomo Kadić told Net.hr.