Moses Itauma was on the wrong end of one of the upsets of the year when halted by Filip Hrgovic last month.
Now, reigning WBC heavyweight world champion, Agit Kabayel, has suggested one contender as an option for the 21-year-old’s comeback fight.
Itauma was expected to dispose of Hrgovic, capture the IBF title and begin a long reign atop the heavyweight division, with 2027 set to be focussed around unifications against the likes of Kabayel and Daniel Dubois.
However, after punching himself out in his clash with the Croatian, Hrgovic was able to close the show and spring the upset in round nine to disrupt Itauma’s plans and become the first ever heavyweight world champion from his homeland.
Consequently, it is instead Hrgovic that is eyeing up a showdown with Kabayel, but it seems as though the Zagreb-born champion will have to come through Frank Sanchez before he can collide with his fellow heavyweight world titleholder.
As for Itauma, Kabayel told Playbook Boxing that he believes the youngster should return to action against Poland’s Damian Knyba, whom he defeated back in January.
“I will tell you one fight for Moses who is good, for the comeback fight, Knyba! Knyba with Moses is a good fight, why not?”
Whilst Kabayel handed Knyba his first career defeat earlier this year, ‘The Polish Hussar’ bounced back with a career best victory over former unified heavyweight world champion, Andy Ruiz Jr, at the beginning of this month.
Meanwhile, Kabayel is finally expected to make a first defence of his WBC marble in November – after being upgraded to full world champion in June – with Albania’s Nelson Hysa believed to be the frontrunner for the opposing corner.
