Promoter Frank Warren has offered a fresh update on Moses Itauma’s highly anticipated ring return, just months after his defeat to Filip Hrgovic in August.
Itauma dominated his clash with Hrgovic for eight rounds, showcasing immense potential. However, his lack of experience beyond six rounds proved costly, as he ran out of steam and was ultimately stopped by the resilient Croatian in the ninth round, marking one of the most dramatic moments of 2026.
While Hrgovic has since achieved superstardom in his home country, the shocking defeat has led British fight fans to question whether Itauma is still the future of the heavyweight division, a title many had eagerly bestowed upon him prior to the loss.
However, promoter Warren is refusing to let the highly-rated prospect dwell on the setback, confirming instead that Itauma is set to return to the ring in January.
Speaking with Sky Sports Boxing, the Queensberry promoter detailed his plan to guide his fighter back into the title mix, announcing that Itauma’s comeback opponent will be revealed within the next couple of weeks.
“Moses, his team and I met last week, he will fight in January. We will be announcing his opponent in the next couple of weeks and he wants to get back into the swing of things.
“He needs to get back after his last fight – which was a very, very exciting fight – he won every round but Filip Hrgovic was tough and he stayed there and came away with the belt.
“Moses knows what he should have done, what he felt he should have done and now he has got to put that into practice next year.
“So, January will be the first step back and then he wants to be in that mix, fighting for these belts – and it will happen.”
Despite losing his undefeated record in August, Itauma remains highly ranked across the major sanctioning bodies. He currently holds the #5 position with both the WBC and WBO, while sitting at #7 in the IBF and WBA rankings.
