Numerous observers anticipated Itauma entering the contest with a flawless 14-0 mark in his pro career to emerge as the upcoming star of British heavyweight boxing, though Hrgovic was correctly viewed as his most demanding opponent yet.

At just 21 years old, Itauma aimed to become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion in history and the second-youngest British world champion overall.

However, his limited experience against the veteran Hrgovic ultimately led to his defeat.

Excitement surrounding Itauma has grown rapidly since he secured his professional debut victory in merely 23 seconds back in January 2023.

A series of impressive knockout wins, with 12 of his prior 14 fights ending inside six rounds, quickly elevated the Chatham boxer to contention for a world title.

Even after falling short against the 34-year-old Hrgovic, he continues to be regarded as a future leader in the sport's premier weight class.

"Exceptional ability and technique," remarked four-weight world champion Stevenson on X. "He is still young and will claim a title eventually if he takes lessons from this experience. He delivers every punch with full power, which serves as both an advantage and a drawback, particularly in the heavyweight ranks!"

British compatriot Tony Bellew, a former cruiserweight world champion who competed at heavyweight toward the end of his career, chose to highlight the encouraging aspects.

"Moses Itauma is destined to become a world champion! He will gain valuable insights from this evening," Bellew shared on X. "The key takeaway for me is Moses's courage and resilience; we already knew Filip possessed great toughness. Tonight demonstrated that Moses has it too, and once he masters pacing himself over 12 rounds, he will dominate for years! Filip Hrgovic's chin deserves further examination."