“I think for me to do or suggest that, I think it’s a bit disrespectful,” Itauma said to talkSPORT Boxing. “AJ obviously isn’t in his prime, neither is Tyson Fury. I think it would be disrespectful for me to say I’d love to fight these guys now because obviously they’re not the fighters that they once were. But obviously they’re still very good and capable fighters. If we was in our primes, if we were all in our primes, it would be lovely fights. But obviously I’ve got Filip Hrgovic in front of me.”

Itauma believes Hrgovic presents the toughest test of his boxing career. The Croatian has challenged at world level and brings far more experience than anyone the British contender has faced since turning professional.

“This is the hardest fight, professional, amateur. It’s the threat, the opposition, what’s at stake. Of course it’s the biggest fight of my life,” Itauma said. “Philip Hrgovic has achieved so much in his career. The good thing about my position is I get to add those accolades onto my career. Obviously beating Filip Hrgovic, I can get some credit, and even to myself I might pat myself on the back and finally say, ‘You’ve done something you can be proud of.'”