Filip Hrgovic is having a grand time talking down to Moses Itauma. As the young heavyweight mopes over his first defeat and fixates on replays, Hrgovic delivered a blunt reality check: stop crying, get back in the gym, and figure out how to win when your opponent refuses to fall over.

Itauma admitted this week that rewatching the bout eats away at him. He landed his best artillery, watched Hrgovic walk straight through it, and kept winging power shots until his gas tank emptied completely. He sounds like a fighter in denial, still convinced the knockout was right there if he had just thrown a little harder.

Hrgovic responded with dripping condescension, offering to comfort the 21-year-old prospect like a disappointed toddler.

“I’ll tell him, ‘Look, Moses, everything will be good,’” Hrgovic told The Stomping Ground. “I will cuddle him … on the head, like, ‘Moses, everything will be good. Don’t be upset.’”

The mocking humor carried an unforgiving point. Hrgovic pointed out that a loss should light a fire under a fighter rather than shatter his nerve, before making sure to remind everyone who dismantled the hype train.

“You must learn from that that you can’t knock out Filip Hrgovic,” he said. “You must learn you can’t knock out everyone. You must be ready for a 12-round fight.”

That diagnosis is right on the money. Itauma got exposed by his own reliance on early blowouts. Once his power failed to create a shortcut, he had no Plan B, frantically emptying his reserves against an immovable target walking him down.

Surviving at the top level means knowing how to bank rounds without punching yourself into exhaustion. Itauma needs to accept that durable heavyweights will absorb his Sunday punch and keep coming.

Hrgovic threw in obligatory compliments about Itauma’s raw speed, but the core message was pure dismissal.

“No time for crying. Go back to the gym, and that’s it, man. Simple.”

Staring at the tape will not undo the beating. Itauma either learns how to box when the stoppage vanishes, or the next seasoned heavyweight will run the exact same script on him.

Fabio Wardley has been advised to retire, due to both his second-round stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois and the overall damage he has incurred in recent years.

The 31-year-old returned to action yesterday evening, attempting to reclaim his WBO title after suffering a punishing 11th-round stoppage defeat to Dubois in May.

Wardley did, of course, manage to score two early knockdowns but, for the rest of their contest, the momentum was firmly in his opponent’s favour.

Many therefore made Dubois a sizable favourite ahead of their rematch, which saw a role reversal as it was the 29-year-old, this time, who floored his man within the first 20 seconds.

Somehow, Wardley regained his footing but was placed under increasing pressure, with his corner throwing in the towel following a sustained onslaught from Dubois.

As a result, Dubois retained his world heavyweight title and is now eager to secure a unification match, while the immediate future for Wardley seems far less obvious.

Speaking to Boxing Newsthough, IBF champion Filip Hrgovic said the Ipswich man should leave the sport while, financially, he is in a position to do so.

“I think he should retire. He didn’t look good; he made [a] bunch of money … he did miracle – he became world champion without amateur career.

“He received a lot of damage in his last five [to] six fights, and he should retire and enjoy [his life].

“Daniel Dubois start normal, with the jab – he didn’t do anything special. Wardley just wasn’t in a [good] place from the beginning.”

Indeed, very few expected that Wardley, who had just four white collar fights before turning professional, would go on to become a world champion.

Terence Crawford has advised Christian Mbilli on what tactics to implement against Canelo Alvarezwith the two super-middleweights expected to collide on October 31.

Or at least, that seems to be the plan, with many surprised that the event is still going ahead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the airport has been under attack in recent weeks.

A cancellation could therefore be on the cards but, if it does take place later this month, then Canelo will have the chance to reclaim his WBC title.

The Mexican lost his undisputed crown via a unanimous decision defeat to Crawfordwho moved up two weight divisions and produced a masterful performance in September 2025.

All four titles then became vacant following his retirement a few months later, with Mbilli getting upgraded from ‘interim’ to full WBC champion at 168lbs.

He too has not fought for over a year, as the Frenchman’s 10-round draw with Lester Martinez arrived on the Canelo-Crawford undercard.

But while both men are contending with a lack of activity, Canelo – based on his experience and superior skills – is widely considered to have the edge over Mbilli.

Speaking on the DAZN broadcast this weekend, Crawford agreed with the general consensus and, while not believing he can actually win the fight, has implored Mbilli to adopt a high-volume and rugged approach.

“Styles make fights, and his [Mbilli’s] style is tailor-made for Canelo. He can’t do nothing but press Canelo. I can’t see him beating Canelo in a boxing match.

“I think his best success will be letting his hands go, roughing Canelo up and making it a dog fight.”

It does, indeed, appear that Mbilli’s best option is to make it a battle of attrition, while Canelo may look to outbox his five-years-younger opponent.