Abel Sanchez: Hrgovic Won by Wearing Down Itauma

Filip Hrgovic's trainer Abel Sanchez says he never expected the scorecards to matter in Hrgovic's stoppage win over Moses Itauma in London, because he believed judges would favor the hometown favorite no matter how the fight looked.

Sanchez said he built his entire game plan around a late finish rather than a points win. "We weren't going to win a decision. I don't care how close the fight was; we were not going to win a decision because boxing has a tendency to do what's best for boxing financially," Sanchez said. He added that he expected to trail on every card and expected Hrgovic to enter as a heavy underdog against the younger, faster Itauma.

That expectation shaped the corner's approach from the opening bell. Sanchez said Hrgovic did not need to chase rounds or trade combinations with Itauma. Instead, his job was to absorb the early pace, keep working behind the jab and let the fight come to him as it stretched deeper into the scheduled 12 rounds.

Why Sanchez Told Hrgovic to Give Ground Early

Sanchez said the plan was built on efficiency, not activity. Itauma landed fast combinations early and had the crowd behind him, which made his output look even more dominant than it was. Hrgovic, by contrast, answered with a measured jab, absorbed shots on his gloves and shoulders, and let Itauma spend energy closing the distance over and over.

Sanchez said that math started to flip as the rounds wore on. Itauma controlled the center of the ring early, but as his output slowed, Hrgovic began advancing and turning the same space Itauma had used to attack into ground he could use to apply pressure. Sanchez compared the situation to cornering Andy Ruiz Jr. in New Zealand against Joseph Parker in 2016, when he told Ruiz they were already behind on points before the opening bell for the same reason: a road fighter facing a hometown favorite couldn't lean on the judges.

Hrgovic stopped Itauma in the ninth round, a result Sanchez framed as validation of a plan built entirely around patience. He said Itauma had legitimately won the bulk of the rounds before the stoppage, and that the scorecards never told the real story of a fight that was steadily draining the younger man.

Betting Angle

Hrgovic went in as a significant underdog, and Sanchez's account makes clear his corner treated that number as a given rather than a problem to solve. For bettors, the fight is a reminder that live and round-betting markets can move heavily against a fast-starting favorite once fatigue becomes a factor in heavyweight fights that go past the midway point. Sanchez's comments suggest oddsmakers and bettors leaning heavily on early-round output in heavyweight fights should weigh a fighter's workrate against his conditioning over 12 rounds, not just who is landing more punches in the first half.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Filip Hrgovic beat Moses Itauma?

Filip Hrgovic stopped Moses Itauma in the ninth round in London after a game plan built around absorbing early pressure and wearing Itauma down over the fight's later rounds, according to trainer Abel Sanchez.

What did Abel Sanchez say about the judges in the Hrgovic-Itauma fight?

Abel Sanchez said he never expected Filip Hrgovic to win a decision against Moses Itauma in London and built the entire game plan around getting a stoppage instead.

Was Filip Hrgovic an underdog against Moses Itauma?

Yes, according to trainer Abel Sanchez, Filip Hrgovic entered the fight as a heavy underdog against the younger, faster Moses Itauma.