All articles tagged with #ibf
Ben Whittaker won a unanimous decision over Conor Wallace in Birmingham, securing the IBF mandatory challenger position. Despite a dominant first nine rounds, Whittaker faced a late surge from Wallace, surviving a chaotic 12th round to maintain his unbeaten record and set up a potential title shot against Dmitry Bivol.
Filip Hrgovic stopped Moses Itauma in the ninth round in London after Itauma surged early and looked set to seize the vacant IBF heavyweight title, only to fatigue as the fight wore on. Itauma was taken from the ring on a stretcher but has since been released from hospital and returned home with his family; Queensberry Promotions say he is well. Hrgovic, now 21-1 (16 KOs), had warned Itauma about the gap in experience, and the bout showcased Itauma’s aggression but Hrgovic’s experience prevailed.
Filip Hrgovic stopped Moses Itauma in the ninth round at The O2 Arena to win the vacant IBF heavyweight title, becoming Croatia’s first heavyweight champion; Itauma was battered into retirement as Hrgovic, who was down in the second round, fought through punishment and now pursues unification bouts against Dubois and Kabayel.
Filip Hrgovic staged a dramatic comeback, stopping Moses Itauma in the ninth round to win the IBF heavyweight title—the first Croatian world champion in the division—as Itauma’s stamina collapsed, his corner threw in the towel and he left the ring on a stretcher with a knee injury.
Croatian heavyweight Filip Hrgovic staged a dramatic comeback to halt Briton Moses Itauma in the ninth round of their London bout, winning the vacant IBF world title after Itauma — who had the faster start and a second-round knockdown — faded and was carried out on a stretcher as his corner threw in the towel. Hrgovic becomes Croatia’s first heavyweight world champion, while Itauma’s dream will need more seasoning as he rebuilds.
British 21-year-old Moses Itauma challenges Croatia's Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF heavyweight title this Saturday, with a chance to become the second-youngest world heavyweight champion; the fast-tracked ascent has drawn scrutiny, but his team argues he’s ready and compares his rise to Joshua’s early career.
A planned cruiserweight title bout between Jai Opetaia and Brandon Glanton for Zuffa Boxing faced a sanctioning setback after the IBF backed away from sanctioning the fight and warned it could strip Opetaia of the IBF cruiserweight title if he competes for Zuffa’s belt, turning the bout into an unsanctioned affair while Opetaia still holds The Ring title. The event goes on at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas with Paramount+ streaming in the US; main card starts at 9 p.m. ET (prelims 6 p.m. ET), and the card features several undercard bouts plus expert predictions that Opetaia remains the favorite.
The IBF withdrew sanction for Jai Opetaia vs. Brandon Glanton, making Sunday’s bout an unsanctioned contest even though the Ring Magazine title and the new Zuffa cruiserweight belt remain involved; the IBF title could be vacated if the fight proceeds without sanctioning, opening a path to a vacant title for contenders like Billam-Smith or Masson, while Opetaia’s goal of undisputed status continues to hinge on future unifications and defenses.
The IBF is considering stripping Oleksandr Usyk of his heavyweight title due to a rematch clause with Tyson Fury, which conflicts with mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic's right to a title fight. The IBF rules allow Usyk to request an exception to keep the belt, but it remains uncertain if he will do so. The situation mirrors a previous case where the IBF stripped Terence Crawford of his welterweight title.
Luis Alberto Lopez knocked out Michael Conlan in the fifth round to retain his IBF featherweight title in Belfast. Conlan's trainer threw in the towel after he was caught with an uppercut. The undercard saw Nick Ball TKO-12 Ludumo Lamati, who was taken to the hospital, and Anthony Cacace win a unanimous decision over Damian Wrzesinski.