His collapse against Filip Hrgovic exposed the ugly truth. Itauma attacked as though the fight had been scheduled for three rounds, loading up on nearly every punch and trying to overwhelm a seasoned heavyweight with raw speed. Once Hrgovic survived, all that extra mass became baggage. Itauma was just too heavy to fight at any kind of fast pace, especially against someone who wasn’t in his 40s and was actually fighting back.

Poor pacing and excess fat can exist together, and against Hrgovic they made a disastrous combination.

At 21, Itauma should be near the easiest stage of his life for controlling his weight. What happens at 27 or 30, when training camps become harder, and his body no longer responds as quickly? Fat rarely disappears by accident as a heavyweight grows older. More often, 245 becomes 255, then 265, with each increase defended as added strength.

Itauma does not need to become a cruiserweight or pose for fitness magazines. He needs to strip away every pound that does not improve his punching power, durability, or physical control. If he is still soft at 245 after a full training camp, someone must ask what exactly that weight is doing for him. Is trainer Ben Davison going too easy on Itauma in camp?