Filip Hrgovic’s manager has responded to accusations that his client initially turned down a fight with Moses Itauma, explaining that contracts were signed once both sides were happy with the deal.

The two heavyweights will square off at London’s O2 Arena on August 29, with many expecting this to be Itauma’s toughest assignment thus far.

Having remained unbeaten as an amateur and professional, while winning most fights in dominant fashion, the 21-year-old is now deemed ready for an acid test at world level.

His last outing came against Jermaine Franklin, a fringe contender, who he defeated with an emphatic fifth-round stoppage in March.

Now, though, Itauma is gearing up to face a genuine world-class contender in Hrgovic, who many consider to be a top 10 heavyweight.

The Croatian’s only professional defeat came in a competitive contest against Daniel Dubois, who ultimately secured an eighth-round finish in June 2024.

This was due to the cuts Hrgovic suffered above both eyes, with ‘El Animal’ having subsequently experienced similar problems – albeit to a lesser degree – in his triumphs over Joe Joyce, David Adeleye and, most recently, Dave Allen.

It is perhaps for this reason that Team Hrgovic were keen to push the date back, allowing for greater recovery, while manager Keith Connolly insists to Seconds Out that there was never any desire to swerve Itauma.

“That’s a complete lie. We just wanted to change the date to a later date – they changed it from August 8 to August 29.

“We wanted it a little bit later – they couldn’t [accommodate that request] so we ended up taking it.

“When did asking for a later date constitute turning down a fight? All the people that spun that narrative were wrong.”

Hrgovic comes fresh off a third-round finish over Allen in May, which further explains why he and his team were eager to fight Itauma at a later date.