Helwani Slams Itauma-Hrgovic PPV Push as Premature for Rising Heavyweight

Whether motivated by greed or a desire for the prestige of billing Itauma as a pay-per-view attraction, prioritizing short-term revenue risks undermining his long-term career prospects.

When DAZN entered the American boxing market in 2018, it promoted a low monthly subscription model and declared pay-per-view obsolete, promising subscribers access to major fights without additional event fees.

That sales pitch has vanished. Subscribers now pay monthly or annual fees, yet many heavily promoted events still demand a separate purchase. Helwani’s mention of the Teofimo Lopez versus Rolando Romero bout illustrates how rapidly these costs are stacking up.

The timing is particularly questionable given Itauma’s quest for heavyweight history. While he can no longer break Mike Tyson’s record as the youngest champion, defeating Hrgovic would reportedly make him the second youngest. Such an achievement with mainstream potential deserves to be showcased to the largest possible audience.

Anthony Joshua’s ascent provides a telling comparison. His first pay-per-view headliner against Dillian Whyte also occurred in his 15th professional fight, the same number of bouts Itauma will have this Saturday. However, Joshua entered the professional ranks as a London Olympic gold medalist, enjoyed years of exposure on regular Sky Sports broadcasts, and carried a personal rivalry with Whyte dating back to their amateur days.

Itauma lacks a comparable public introduction. He stopped a faded Whyte in the first round in August 2025, only to become the first man to stop Jermaine Franklin seven months later. While these victories elevated his standing within boxing, they did not make him a widely recognized attraction.

While Hrgovic provides a legitimate sporting challenge, the 34-year-old offers little commercial draw. He has endured punishing battles against Zhilei Zhang, Daniel Dubois, and David Adeleye, cuts easily, and has shown growing vulnerability under pressure.

Helwani’s argument ultimately centers on timing. Premium pricing proves effective only after viewers have formed an attachment to a boxer. Itauma is being asked to sell a major event before most casual fans have had the opportunity to get to know him.

Placing Moses Itauma Behind a Paywall Harms His Future

The commercial risk becomes evident when examining the price and supporting card. DAZN is charging £24.99 in the United Kingdom and $59.99 in the United States for a one-off purchase.

The strongest supporting bout features Sam Noakes against former WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk. Constantin Ursu takes on Ben Vaughan, while Guido Vianello faces Moses Jolly. Mike Perez withdrew from his cruiserweight clash with Aloys Junior and was replaced by Sherif Musah, who holds a 4-2-1 record, before the fight was relegated to the preliminary portion of the card.

While those contests may serve their purpose on a standard DAZN broadcast, they add minimal selling power to a premium event. Itauma and Hrgovic are being left to shoulder almost the entire commercial burden.

The promoters are attempting to collect star-level revenue before their young heavyweight has achieved star status. This may generate more income from dedicated followers on August 29, but it diminishes the number of people who will witness the most important fight of his career.

Regular DAZN broadcasts should remain Itauma’s home until he is at least 26 and has been repeatedly showcased to boxing fans. Five more years of accessible fights would allow viewers to follow his development, understand his personality, and become invested in his career. This would also enhance his future sponsorship value and provide promoters with a significantly larger audience to target later.

Winning the IBF title would grant Itauma a belt without automatically making him a mainstream attraction. A strong performance against Hrgovic needs to reach audiences beyond those already following heavyweight boxing.

Billing Itauma as a pay-per-view headliner does not make him one. It merely limits the audience he still needs to cultivate.

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