Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) and Hrgovic (20-1, 15 KOs) were already set to meet at London’s O2 Arena on August 29 but they will now fight for the IBF title vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in June.

The IBF had initially ordered Itauma to face Frank Sanchez for the belt but the Englishman’s promoters Queensberry managed to do a deal to ensure the belt is on the line in London with Sanchez guaranteed a shot at the winner.

It means Itauma has the chance to become history’s second youngest world heavyweight champion at the age of just 21 years and eight months, knocking Floyd Patterson into third.

But when asked for his reaction when the news was confirmed by his promoter Frank Warren, the southpaw insists he did not have one.

“I didn't really have any reaction,” he told a media roundtable on Friday. “If I'm already fighting Hrgovic and I've got the opportunity for it to be a world title, I said, ‘yeah, chuck the world title on the line.’

“I didn't really have any feeling about it. I was taking Hrgovic seriously anyway, and now that the fight's for a world title, I'm still taking him seriously. It’s the same fight isn’t it?”

Itauma has emerged as one of the most destructive finishers in the division over the course of his first 14 fights. All but two have finished inside the distance and 11 of his 12 stoppages came inside two rounds.

But Jermaine Franklin managed to extend him into the fifth round during his last outing, which took place at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena in March.

Now Itauma expects Hrgovic, the 34-year-old from Croatia, to prove even more durable.

“Of course, he's a very good fighter,” Itauma said.

“He's only had one defeat and he only lost that because of a cut so he's solid. I'm in for a long night, but I'll be all right.”

Beyond Hrgovic, the youngster from Chatham, Kent was asked to identify which of the current crop of contenders he expects to challenge as the next dominant force in the division.

But while promoter Frank Warren has suggested a 2027 superfight with fellow Brit Daniel Dubois, the WBO heavyweight champion, Itauma highlighted the WBC king as his stiffest competition.

“It’ll have to be Agit Kabayel,” he said. “He’s beaten everybody that's there

“He’s pretty much beaten everyone who is rising right now so I'd probably say he will probably be the biggest rival, if that makes sense.”