Moses Itauma will fight Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF heavyweight title on 29 August at London's O2 Arena, with a piece of boxing history on the line.

Promoter Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions confirmed to BBC Sport that the IBF belt — one of the four major world titles in boxing's premier division — will be contested. The championship was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in June, leaving the top two IBF-rated contenders to fight for it.

For Itauma, the stakes are extraordinary. At 21 years old, he would become the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson if he beats Hrgovic. That is not hyperbole; it is the arithmetic of the record books. Tyson was 20 when he first claimed the crown in 1986, and no teenager or twenty-something has come close since.

Itauma's resume already reads like a highlight reel. He has 12 knockouts in 14 professional victories. In August 2025 he stopped Dillian Whyte — a former world title challenger and a seasoned heavyweight — in a single round. In March of this year he added a fifth-round stoppage of Jermaine Franklin. The pattern is simple and brutal: opponents do not hear the final bell.

Standing across from him will be Hrgovic, a 2016 Olympic bronze medallist from Croatia with 20 professional wins. He last fought in May, stopping Dave Allen in the third round. Warren offered a blunt assessment of the challenge: Hrgovic will give 100% and make it hard work for anyone.

The path to this fight was not straightforward. The IBF had initially ordered Itauma to enter negotiations with Cuban contender Frank Sanchez by a 29 July deadline. Sanchez instead agreed to step aside — Warren confirmed a financial arrangement was made — and will face the eventual winner of Itauma versus Hrgovic for the title.

What makes this bout compelling is the contrast. Itauma brings explosive, fight-ending power and the fearlessness of youth. Hrgovic brings a deep amateur pedigree and the kind of experience that has carried him through two decades in the sport. One fighter is chasing a record; the other is chasing a title he has been circling for years.

For fans, this means a genuine pick-em fight between a prodigy and a proven operator, with a world title and a place in the history books as the prize. The bout will be broadcast live on DAZN pay-per-view, ESPN reported.

The O2 Arena has hosted its share of memorable heavyweight nights. On 29 August, it gets another.