How did Itauma lose by knockout despite leading against Hrgović?

The heavyweight championship bout in the London ring provided boxing fans with one of the most dramatic finishes of the year. The 34-year-old experienced Croatian boxer Filip Hrgović defeated the 21-year-old British super-talent Moses Itauma via a 9th-round technical knockout to claim the vacant prestigious IBF world championship beltand secured the title.

After the fight, the international Compubox computerized statistics portal released numbers that stunned fans even more — until the moment the bout was stopped, the British boxer was recording double the output in almost every category.

Statistical dominance and the bitter reality in the ring

The final punch report released by Compubox shows just how much pressure and speed Moses Itauma was applying:

• Total landed punches: Itauma landed 163 accurate punches, while Hrgović's tally was only 90;

• Jabs: With a 39 to 26 advantage, the Briton was also leading on points;

• Power Punches: The young star landed nearly twice as many power punches as the Croatian — 124 to 64.

However, despite leading in all statistical categories, the Briton's exhaustion by the 8th–9th rounds due to poor energy distribution and his corner throwing in the towel decided the fate of the bout prematurely.

The new champion's next fight: Who will be the opponent?

Filip Hrgović, who became the first heavyweight world champion in Croatian history through this historic victory, will not be resting for long:

• Bout against Frank Sanchez: According to international insiders, the new champion is expected to defend his IBF belt in his next fight against the experienced and skillful Cuban boxer Frank Sanchez.