The weigh-in ceremony for the upcoming heavyweight championship bout between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic descended into disarray when Itauma shoved Hrgovic off the stage, leading to Hrgovic retaliating with a slap. Security personnel were required to separate the two fighters.
The confrontation occurred during the final face-off and photo opportunity. As Hrgovic stepped in front of Itauma, the British boxer pushed his rival, causing him to fall from the stage. A visibly angered Hrgovic quickly climbed back onto the stage and slapped Itauma. The incident escalated further as both fighters attempted to engage physically before security intervened to restore order.
This volatile exchange took place just 24 hours before Itauma's first opportunity to contend for a heavyweight world championship. Throughout the build-up to the fight, the 21-year-old Itauma had largely maintained a calm demeanor, despite Hrgovic's persistent attempts to provoke him. Itauma had previously dismissed Hrgovic's taunts as "schoolground banter" and had even instructed his manager not to engage with Hrgovic during a press conference earlier in the week, indicating a strategy to avoid mind games.
However, at the weigh-in, Itauma appeared to lose his composure. Hrgovic expressed his continued anger following the incident, vowing to "smash" Itauma in their upcoming match. Itauma acknowledged that he succumbed to the temptation to react, stating, "I had a scratch to itch and I had to do that today."