Boxing
Itauma plots first-punch 'respect' from Hrgovic slugfest
Zayas vs. Ennis: Watch only on DAZN PPV - Saturday
Moses Itauma believes he will earn Filip Hrgovic's respect when "that first punch lands" in their heavyweight bout on August 29.
The duo meet in a much-hyped glamour division showdown at London's The O2 Arena, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View and Ultimate.
Having dismissed Jermaine Franklin inside five rounds last time, Itauma has been clamouring for tougher opposition at the summit.
Hrgovic represents such a foe, with the Croatian vowing to hand the star a first pro loss - but his rival expects he will earn his kudos.
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"The respect plays a big part of your journey," he said at Monday's pre-bout conference. "You don't get given respect, you earn it.
"Whether Filip respects me or not, it's not going to do him any favours. Once that first punch lands, I'm sure he'll respect me then."
Itauma conceded that Hrgovic is his "toughest fight" yet, conceding: "He's achieved so much, beaten so many well-known guys."
But the Briton remained quietly confident, adding: "The beautiful thing about my position is that I can strip him away from all that.
Zayas vs. Ennis - watch only on DAZN
Xander Zayas defends his WBO and WBA super welterweight titles against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis on Saturday, June 27, exclusively live on DAZN. Buy as a one-off PPV or included, along with Joshua vs. Prenga (July 25) and Canelo vs. M'billi (Sept 12) PPVs, with a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.
