Croatian boxer Filip Hrgovic, who sensationally became the IBF heavyweight world champion, achieved one of the first major international successes of his career in Baku.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the 34-year-old Croatian stopped 21-year-old British star Moses Itauma by technical knockout in the ninth round at London's O2 Arena to claim the vacant IBF belt previously held by Oleksandr Usyk. The fight was stopped at 2 minutes and 27 seconds of the ninth round.
The result was a major upset. Itauma entered the fight with a 14-0 record, including 12 knockout victories, and was regarded as one of the brightest young talents in world boxing. The Briton was aiming to become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion after Mike Tyson. Hrgovic, meanwhile, entered the fight as an approximately 7-to-1 underdog with bookmakers.
The beginning of the fight went according to expectations. The younger and faster Itauma had the advantage and knocked the Croatian down in the second round. Hrgovic later admitted that, in his view, he had lost all of the first eight rounds. However, the Briton had never previously gone so deep into a fight in his professional career and began to tire noticeably as the bout progressed.
Hrgovic survived the early pressure and gradually turned the fight around. By the ninth round, Itauma had little energy left. The Croatian trapped his opponent against the ropes and unleashed a series of punches. Referee Howard Foster stopped the contest as the towel was also thrown in from the Briton's corner. Hrgovic thus claimed the first world championship belt of his professional career.
Interestingly, the future world champion won his first major international title in the Azerbaijani capital 16 years earlier.
In 2010, the 17-year-old Hrgovic travelled to Baku for the AIBA Youth World Championships. Competing in the over-91kg category, the Croatian won four bouts on his way to the world title. He defeated Hungary's Jozsef Zsigmond, Azerbaijan's Fargan Omarov, future professional world champion Joseph Parker of New Zealand and another future world champion, France's Tony Yoka.
Omarov was not the only Azerbaijani boxer Hrgovic faced during his amateur career. Less than two years later, the Croatian returned to Baku. On February 4, 2012, as part of the World Series of Boxing (WSB), Hrgovic, then representing French team Paris United, faced Baku Fires member Abdulkadir Abdullayev at the Serhedchi Olympic Sports Centre. The Croatian won that bout on points as well.
The connection between the current IBF belt and Baku does not end there. Its previous holder, Oleksandr Usyk, also became a world champion in the Azerbaijani capital. In 2011, the Ukrainian competed at the AIBA World Championships in Baku and won gold in the 91kg category.
In the final on October 8, Usyk faced Azerbaijan's Teymur Mammadov and defeated him 25:15. Earlier in the tournament, the Ukrainian had beaten Eugenius Tutkus, Tervel Pulev, future professional world champion Artur Beterbiev and Siarhei Karneyeu.
This creates an interesting historical parallel: current IBF champion Hrgovic won the youth world title in Baku in 2010, while the previous holder of the professional belt, Usyk, became a senior world champion in the Azerbaijani capital just one year later.
But they were not the only famous heavyweight names connected with the 2011 World Championships in Baku. Future two-time professional world champion Anthony Joshua also competed at the tournament. The Briton reached the final of the over-91kg category, where he faced Azerbaijan's Magomedrasul Majidov.
In an extremely close final, Majidov defeated the future professional boxing star 22:21 to become world champion. Joshua had to settle for the silver medal.
Thus, Baku holds a notable place in the careers of several famous heavyweight boxers. Hrgovic and Usyk became amateur world champions there in different age categories, while Joshua lost a world championship final to Azerbaijan's Majidov. Years later, all three went on to win world championship belts in professional boxing. The Azerbaijani boxers mentioned in this article, however, did not go on to achieve comparable success in the professional ranks.
