Instead, it was Filip Hrgovic who etched his name into the history books by becoming Croatia’s first winner of sport’s greatest prize by claiming the vacant IBF belt Saturday night at a sold-out O2 Arena. In addition, Hrgovic’s ninth-round, technical-knockout victory will go down in heavyweight division folklore after what he did here on the banks of the Thames.

The 34-year-old Hrgovic was hit with every shot in the book by Itauma (14-1, 12 KOs), the 21-year-old heavyweight who failed in his bid to become the second-youngest world heavyweight champion in boxing history, after only Mike Tyson.

“I was losing every round,” Hrgovic said. “I was outboxed.”

His chin, however, should be studied, given how many clean shots it took from both of Itauma’s slashing hands without crumbling. He did touch down once, very briefly, in the second round from a cuffing right hook from his southpaw opponent.

The truth was, Itauma, who was a 9-1 favorite according to several sportsbooks, landed far more punishing shots throughout the fight without budging the resilient Croatian. The Slovakia-born Kent resident, who was on a 10-fight knockout streak, started at breakneck speed and looked set for another early finish.

Somehow, Hrgovic (21-1, 16 KOs) weathered the storm and accomplished what he promised throughout the promotion.

Referee Howard Foster had waved the fight off at 2:27 of the ninth, but the towel had just flown in from Ben Davison, Itauma’s trainer, too.

“Let me tell you something,” Hrgovic said. “It was not me tonight, it was Jesus Christ. The holy spirit. It was not me. I don’t know where I got energy in that 10th round. It was not my strength; it was the holy spirit.”

The fight was actually stopped the round before, but so chaotic were the final few stages that he had simply lost count. Not only did he manage to stay standing, but he was also able to respond with enough venom to trouble a man who had never lost a fight, amateur or pro, in his entire life.

“Let me ask my young friend something,” Hrgovic said in reference to Itauma, who went 24-0 as an amateur. “Is the chin important? A chin is important. He is an amazing fighter. I want to thank him for accepting this fight and giving me the chance to become world heavyweight champion.

“I’m the present and he’s definitely the future. He’s an amazing fighter. He’s one of a kind and the best I’ve ever been in the ring with, but he needs more experience. From the first round, I saw him gassing out. I knew he was going to gas out at some point. I knew when my chance came, I needed to push and that’s what I did.”

And push he did. Appropriate given that it was Itauma who had pushed him off the makeshift stage down the road at Spitalfields Market after Friday’s weigh-in.

Hrgovic responded by landing a right-handed slap to end what had been an ill-tempered buildup.

But all of that seemed so juvenile after what the pair gave in the ring throughout this fight for the ages. Hrgovic knows a thing or two about dealing with big-punching heavyweights in London, having sparred with David Haye and Deontay Wilder in a gym only a few miles down the Thames in 2013.

The 2016 Olympic bronze medalist was only 21 at the time, but those sessions gave him the confidence he needed to press on in his bid to make history for his country. It has been a long road since those spars, but he had spoken of a sense of destiny that his first non-interim heavyweight title shot would come here back in London.

And what of Itauma?

He had started grimacing during the eighth round, a telltale that things were not going well for him despite being a mile ahead. By the end, he staggered around the ring barely able to stand, much less fire back at Hrgovic, who could smell blood.

These were unchartered waters for the youngster, who had never been beyond six rounds in his life and barely been hit with a punch as a professional. But for Hrgovic, all of this was nothing new.

Itauma, dreams crushed, was carried out on a stretcher after his promoter, Frank Warren, confirmed he had suffered a leg injury. Warren is no stranger to rebuilds after nearly half a century in the sport, but Itauma will need a long rest before there is any talk of a comeback.

For Hrgovic, The Ring’s No. 5 contender for Oleksandr Usyk’s title, it will be Frank Sanchez next. The Cuban contender, ranked No. 7 by The Ring, agreed to a seven-figure, step-aside fee to allow Hrgovic and Itauma to fight for the previously unclaimed IBF belt.

Hrgovic is ready for all comers.

“Let me tell you a story,” Hrgovic said. “After the Daniel Dubois loss [on cuts in June 2024], I was so humiliated that I was thinking about quitting boxing. But then my daughter was born and I thought I’d give it one more try to make her proud. I dedicate this fight to her and my [late] father.”