The Croatian faces Itauma for the IBF title at London’s O2 Arena live on DAZN Pay-Per-View later this month in what will be his fifth straight fight against a British opponent.

However, for the first time in that run, Hrgovic (20-1, 15 KOs) will enter the ring as the underdog with most bookmakers pricing him as long as 7/1 (+700). And, while the 34-year-old cares little for odds, he does admit he feels no pressure as a result of that newfound  status.

“If I lose, the whole world has already written me off anyway,” Hrgovic said. “Everyone expects him to win so I don't have a lot to lose.

“If I lose, people expected that anyway.”

It is an honest evaluation of the situation from a man who rarely pulls his punches during interviews. Although he sits at No. 5 in The Ring’s heavyweight rankings, one place above his opponent, Hrgovic knows that Itauma had been anointed a future world heavyweight king long before the IBF decided to sanction this clash for their vacant belt.

Whoever wins the title in London is contractually obliged to face Frank Sanchez, the IBF's No. 1, in their first defense but Hrgovic also revealed his plans should he lose.

“I have a comeback fight in my contract,” he said. “So it's near the end for me if I lose.

“I'm already 20 years in boxing but I still feel good and I still have the desire for training, for sparring, for running.

“And I think I'm the best I’ve ever been and I feel that I will beat him. But if I lose it's definitely some kind of sign for me near the end.

“So I'll probably have some sort of comeback fight and we'll see. But, you know, I'm not going to because I believe I'll beat him.”

Like Itauma, August 29 will be Hrgovic’s first attempt to win the world heavyweight title in the 22nd outing of his career. The only defeat came in June 2024 when he was stopped on cuts by Daniel Dubois but he has rebuilt steadily since then.

Itauma, the 14-0 heavyweight prodigy, has his whole career ahead of him at the age of 21 but, in contrast, Hrgovic feels hardened by the brutal business of boxing.

“It's a tough game,” he said. “It's totally different. A lot of people get lost in that boxing business, with promoters, with managers, with contracts, with training differently and with the toughness of this sport.

“It's tough. It's not even a sport. It's like a war. It's like a battle. So, it's tough and I’ve endured everything but I'm still here now in a great position at 34. I'm top 5 in the world and having one of the biggest fights in the division right now.

“So, I'm proud of myself, that's it. And I believe I will beat this guy.”