Boxing
Fury lambasts '$100 million' mistake after shock Moses defeat
Garcia vs. Benn live on DAZN PPV - Saturday
Moses Itauma has lost a "$100 million career", claims Tyson Fury, with the star suggesting his fellow heavyweight was rushed to the top.
The 21-year-old missed out on the chance to become the division's second-youngest ever champion after a loss to Filip Hrgovic last weekend.
Having controlled matters for eight rounds, Moses appeared to punch himself out in the ninth, allowing his foe to claim the vacant IBF belt.
Now Fury, who is preparing for his long-awaited bout with Anthony Joshua in Miami, has weighed in on what he feels was a flawed plan.
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"I suppose when you are trying to build somebody into a superstar and all of that stuff, you put him in early," he told journalist Gareth A. Davies.
"They made a mistake, and it has cost them. Not only has it cost Moses the $100 million career, I believe he was a billion-dollar athlete.
“It is very difficult [to bounce back], when you have been banjo’d like that. It is difficult to turn that around mentally, physically and emotionally."
Fury further suggested matters may prove difficult for Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions to find the right level of opponent for Moses.
"It’s about getting the balance right," he added. "Somebody who is durable, not that dangerous, who can take punishment and give him the rounds.
"He needs to get used to getting the rounds in. When you get knocked out in your first try at something, it takes a bit to come back from.
"I was 27 years old when I fought Wladimir Klitschko. I was a 10-1 underdog [but] I was ready. If I’d have fought him at 21, I’d have got knocked out, too.
"You’ve got to show a real mentality, will and want to be a fighter after a performance like that when everything was going well for you."
Fury criticism could sting powerbrokers
DAZN News correspondent Andrew Steel
Tyson Fury has plenty of other matters to keep him occupied - namely the drama over his own impending super-bout with Anthony Joshua.
But 'The Gypsy King' has never been a man to mince words, and his forthright dissection of Moses Itauma's first career loss will surely sting.
On the one hand, given how the latter controlled large portions of his bout with Filip Hrgovic, those suggestions may feel unfair to level.
Yet undoubtedly a part of the star's undoing came from poor mismanagement in critical moments, arguably from a lack of ring experience.
How Queensberry Promotions shop Moses now is another matter. But Fury's advice - blunt and barbed - may be another warning call to heed.
Watch Garcia vs. Benn in the UK only on DAZN
Britain's Conor Benn looks to become a world champion for the first time against US superstar Ryan Garcia on Saturday, September 12. Watch the fight exclusively in the UK & Ireland on DAZN PPV or included in our Ultimate Tier subscription.
