Moses Itauma has intensified his preparations for the fight against Filip Hrgović, scheduled for August 29 at the O2 Arena in London, bringing in Nelvie Tiafack, the bronze medalist from the Paris Olympics, as a sparring partner.
Moses Itauma (21) has stepped up his training for the bout against Filip Hrgović, set for August 29 at the O2 Arena in London. According to Index.hr, the young British heavyweight, facing one of the biggest challenges of his career, is sparring with Nelvie Tiafack, an undefeated German professional who won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hrgović and Itauma will fight for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title. Itauma has 14 wins in 14 professional fights, 12 by knockout, while Hrgović holds a record of 20 wins and one loss.
Tiafack is not just a sparring partner brought in to add extra physical strength to Itauma's camp. The German fighter has a highly successful amateur career behind him. In addition to Olympic bronze from Paris, he won the European Championship title in 2022, and during his amateur days, he defeated notable British heavyweights Frazer Clarke and Delicious Orie.
Last year, he turned professional and remains undefeated with four wins. His career is managed by Jake Paul's promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions. Itauma and Tiafack have sparred together before, and now they reunite at the Ben Davison Performance Centre in Harlow.
Tiafack previously told Sky Sports that Itauma's results do not surprise him, as he had already noticed his immense potential during their first sparring sessions together. He also mentioned the possibility that the two could one day meet in an official bout.
Itauma is considered one of the biggest talents in world boxing, but Hrgović represents a significant step up in the quality of opposition. The Brit recently convincingly defeated Dillian Whyte and Jermaine Franklin, but against the Croatian heavyweight, he will fight for a world title for the first time.
Hrgović's only professional loss came against Daniel Dubois in June 2024. Since then, he has recorded three wins, against Joe Joyce, David Adeleye, and Dave Allen. He stopped the latter in the third round in mid-May this year.
The fight between Hrgović and Itauma will take place on Saturday, August 29, which is less than two weeks from today. The winner will become the new IBF world heavyweight champion.
