After seeing his former opponent step on the scales, Dave Allen believes Filip Hrgovic will approach the Moses Itauma fight differently to how he had previously imagined.

Indeed, it came as a surprise to most when the Croatian tipped the scales at just over 236lbs, recording his lightest weight since 2019.

Many nonetheless expect Itauma to be the quicker and more nimble fighter, yet with Hrgovic weighing 5lbs lighter, it is worth reconsidering how their showdown might unfold.

The pair will collide this evening at London’s O2 Arena, with Itauma heavily favoured to pass his acid test and claim the vacant IBF title.

If he does so, the 21-year-old will become the youngest world heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson ruthlessly dethroned Trevor Berbick in 1986.

But while the betting odds might suggest otherwise, Hrgovic is certainly no scrub and appears to be entering their contest with no shortage of ambition.

Given the Croatian’s conditioning, Allen has told talkSPORT that he now believes the 34-year-old will drag Itauma into deep waters after previously predicting a quick night at the office.

“When I was expecting big [Hrgovic], I thought [the fight would end] in less than three rounds either way.

“There’s a lot of question marks over Itauma when he gets hit back. I’m intrigued [to see what happens] when he gets hit.

“But now big [Hrgovic] is medium-sized and is coming in as the jabber, not the destroyer, I’m thinking that it’s going to go a bit later. I think [Hrgovic’s] going to try and drag Itauma out – I’m not sure that’s the way to go … Itauma gets out of distance by a long way [when he gets tagged]. That worries me. I think [Hrgovic is] really going to put it on him.

“I want Itauma to win, a superstar in Britain is what we need, but the last couple of days, things have been happenening where I’m thinking big [Hrgovic] is going to make him earn this.”

Despite suffering a third-round stoppage defeat to Hrgovic in May, Allen still appears to be backing the young Brit to complete his toughest professional assignment thus far, perhaps just with a little more adversity.