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5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce

Moses Itauma Returns

22 Jun 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

0.031 - 4.548 Steve Bunce

Thank you. This is Five Live Boxing.

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4.888 - 23.093

On August 29th, there will be a fight, a heavyweight fight at the O2 in London between arguably the best prospect in the heavyweight division, Moses Itama, just 21, and Filip Hergovic, one of the top five heavyweights in the world. It's an old-fashioned fight.

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Chapter 2: What makes the upcoming fight between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic significant?

23.334 - 48.914

It's a real fight. It's a proper fight. It's a massive test for young Moses. I'm Steve Bunce, and this is Five Live Boxing. So you find me out by the Thames, the sun's out, in the background there's the O2 beach, yes, the O2 beach, you can see it, Moses can see it. And then there's the O2 itself, there's the driving range, London's that way, Essex and the world is that way.

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49.755 - 60.008

Moses, you're going to be topping the billing there in a major fight against one of the top 10 heavyweights in the world, and you're still a boxing baby, how does it feel?

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60.072 - 62.076 Moses Itauma

I've been getting called a kid, a baby.

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62.577 - 65.141

When you're 22, it all stops. You're a man then.

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65.342 - 67.145 Moses Itauma

Fair enough. So when you're 21, what is it?

68.207 - 69.109

It's man, don't worry.

71.333 - 86.399 Moses Itauma

It's definitely man. No, I mean, it's nice. It's a blessing. But I just don't know. I feel like the old two is too close at home for me to feel like I'm going to be at a fight. They even asked me the other day, do you want to stay in a hotel or are you going to stay... Like, are you going to stay in a hotel or are you going to stay at yours?

86.439 - 88.502 Moses Itauma

Because I only live like 20, 30 minutes away from the O2.

88.522 - 90.125

So what will you do fight week?

Chapter 3: How does Moses Itauma feel about being labeled a heavyweight prospect?

159.349 - 167.08

What happens if you're hurt? What happens if it's a tough fight after five, six or seven rounds? Big Phil's been in all of those fights.

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167.498 - 176.022 Moses Itauma

So being cut, being dropped, being hit makes you a good fighter. That is exactly the opposite of what makes a good fighter.

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176.102 - 181.237

But it gives you the experience for making sure you can handle those potential situations.

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181.437 - 192.38 Moses Itauma

But if you've... You can be in 100 fights and win 100 and people are going to say, ah, but we never saw him tested. Come on, man. Just appreciate that he's done good, you know?

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192.4 - 200.916

And you know what? That is a British thing. When Nassim Hamid finally lost after 35 fights, people said, see? Told you he couldn't handle a pressure fight. See?

201.658 - 228.525 Moses Itauma

People are just preying on downfalls, man. It's sad to see because... Do you know what it is? I just think it's human nature for people to hate or to not like what they don't have or to not experience. A form of jealousy? A form of jealousy. And I feel like a lot of people, you might be, let's say you are a 9 out of 10 boxer. as a 21-year-old.

228.625 - 248.867 Moses Itauma

Rather developing into a 10 out of 10 boxer, they would love to exploit that one that you don't have. Does that make sense? Yeah, it absolutely makes sense. So I just feel like there is a form of jealousy in people where they might have not experienced what I've experienced. Like even just fighting in big shows at 20 years old.

249.027 - 250.77

Does that annoy you that that exists?

250.79 - 272.758 Moses Itauma

Or do you just have to let it... No, because I've noticed I do it as well. Like when I see people doing certain things that I can't do... It's only now that I realize that people do that to me, I have to stop myself from doing it. But it's just the form, it's a human trait. I feel like everybody has some more than others.

Chapter 4: What challenges does Moses anticipate facing against Hrgovic?

308.825 - 319.68

Did it change a bit with the finish in the Jermaine Franklin fight? Because it was the finish that was, because that was a genuine world-class, let's put up against any heavyweight finish. It was a proper finish.

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319.66 - 330.031 Moses Itauma

It was a good finish. Yeah, it was a good finish. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the whole fight week. I enjoyed everything. I enjoyed the fight night. Yeah, man.

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Chapter 5: Why did Moses Itauma choose to fight Filip Hrgovic now?

330.591 - 331.212 Moses Itauma

I enjoyed everything.

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332.373 - 338.96

And going in against Hergovic, you said there was three or four on the list. Would Hergovic have been the man you chose?

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339.761 - 341.363 Moses Itauma

Yeah, that is who I chose.

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341.403 - 342.604

So it was the one you chose?

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342.644 - 342.844 Moses Itauma

Yeah.

343.124 - 346.628

And that was because you wanted him or he was available? Was it a bit of a combination?

346.648 - 348.55 Moses Itauma

Zach, am I allowed to tell him the other names?

348.61 - 349.431

Yes, of course you are.

350.457 - 356.704 Moses Itauma

Of the other names, if it wasn't Hagovic, am I allowed to tell the other names? Who else was on the list, Zach? I can't say the other names.

Chapter 6: What experiences does Moses believe will impact his performance in the ring?

407.778 - 420.34

Was there a sense, and do you get a sense, that people think this is your biggest test? I mean, I think it is your biggest test. But do you get a sense that people are giving you respect for having Hergovich?

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420.32 - 433.855 Moses Itauma

No, but whether I get respect or don't get respect, your career is only appreciated once it's done. Very rarely do people actually get appreciation. That's the Lennox Lewis story. They rarely ever get appreciation while their career is ongoing.

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433.875 - 438.981

What could you do to maybe change the way people view you?

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439.321 - 468.676 Moses Itauma

Or is it above your remit? That's not my... It's not my job to do that. There's... I think I read it in a book the other day, I was trying to think, task separation, separation of tasks. And trying to get people to like me, that's not my task. Your job is to fight, to get in the ring fit, and to win. Exactly, and not only that, I have a following, I have a family, I have a strong surname.

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469.517 - 480.896 Moses Itauma

My job is also to represent that surname correctly, in a manner that... it's not frowned upon, you know?

480.916 - 500.133

Do you still... Are you enjoying it as much as you were when you were a little bit younger? I know you're still only 21, I know that. But there was a point when you were, say, when we first started doing interviews, you were very much, like, young at the game and sort of couldn't wait to get into the next fight. Do you still have that kind of... It's a youthful enthusiasm.

500.674 - 502.098

Do you still feel you have it, Moses?

502.118 - 506.429 Moses Itauma

No, man, I feel old. But I started drinking coffee, and it's a game.

506.489 - 507.512

It's a slippery slope, son.

Chapter 7: How does Moses handle public perception and pressure as a young athlete?

619.669 - 628.425 Moses Itauma

Like I said, the auto arena is like 30 minutes from me, so it's just like, I don't know, it's just everything's so familiar. I don't want to experience life, you know?

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628.405 - 636.976

So sticking with that, do you in your head see a big Las Vegas fight? Do you in your head see a massive Madison Square Garden fight?

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636.996 - 644.767 Moses Itauma

Madison Square Garden, yeah. Las Vegas, I don't know. I've just never seen it. The Garden, you fancy that? A bit of history. Yeah, yeah. I can see New York in me. I don't know about Vegas.

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644.907 - 663.662

Walking in the footsteps of giants in New York. I don't want to create my own, but yeah. Yeah, that'd be nice, yeah. Yeah. I've got to ask you a simple question. Football question. Yeah. How are England doing now? How far will they go? What's your gut feeling most? Are you a massive football fan? Do you have loads of players in the team know you? So they know you, but do you know them?

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666.228 - 687.511 Moses Itauma

I appreciate football. I wouldn't say I'm a fan of it. But I do appreciate it. I mean, it's the biggest sport in the world. It's played by everyone. Everybody knows at least one football player. So, yeah, I would say that I appreciate the sport 100%. But I wouldn't say I know too much.

688.833 - 691.698

You're having a good time at the moment, aren't you? Life's treating you well, isn't it?

691.718 - 692.92 Moses Itauma

Life is laughing.

692.94 - 701.248

Yeah. You're in Spain, you're sitting here by the O2, you're smiling, you're 21. It's good going, eh?

701.268 - 702.051 Moses Itauma

Life's good, man.

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