Moses Itauma and Conor Benn, two of the most promising names on the British boxing scene, have each endured a crushing loss in recent weeks, and both setbacks came on the biggest stages of their careers. Their first attempts at world titles ended in disappointment: Ryan Garcia stopped Benn in just two rounds during a bid for the WBC welterweight crown, while Itauma was forced to quit in the ninth round of his bout with Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF heavyweight belt. The defeats have sparked a conversation about how the young fighters can recover, rebuild confidence, and develop the stamina needed for longer, more demanding fights. Former world champion George Groves, who himself endured a long road to a world title—four attempts before finally succeeding—offered his perspective on what lies ahead for the two youngsters.
Groves emphasized that at 21 years old, Itauma still has time to grow, but he must first demonstrate a strong mental resolve. "He’ll need to show a lot of resilience to bounce back and keep his self‑belief intact," Groves told Sky Sports.
"You can’t train to replicate the exhaustion you feel in a world‑title fight. The pressure, the lights, the crowd – none of that can be recreated in a gym.
It’s a completely different environment." According to Groves, the experience of stepping into a world‑title ring, even in defeat, is a credit to Itauma’s career so far. The challenge now is to avoid lingering mental scars and to focus on refining his natural strengths rather than trying to reinvent his style. "He should keep what works for him and simply add more comfort and confidence in how he paces a fight," Groves said.
This advice underscores the importance of mental conditioning alongside physical preparation. One of the key issues Groves highlighted is Itauma’s current endurance level.
At present, the young boxer is more comfortable in three‑round bursts than in the longer formats typical of championship bouts. "He’s essentially a three‑round fighter right now, not even a six‑rounder," Groves observed. "From the third round onward, I could see him starting to gas out." The reason for this rapid fatigue, Groves explained, lies in Itauma’s athletic makeup.
He is an extremely fast‑twitch athlete who throws each punch with maximum force. While this explosiveness makes him dangerous in short exchanges, it also drains his energy reserves quickly.
"He’s never really had to work on efficiency," Groves added. "He needs to become more economical with his output, learning to conserve energy while still being effective." In terms of a practical path forward, Groves suggested that Itauma should consider a step‑down in competition to rebuild his stamina and confidence. "If I had to rebuild Moses Itauma, I’d drop him down a level," he said, while also praising his management for taking a bold step by matching him against Hrgovic.
Groves argued that the Hrgovic fight was the right move because it elevated Itauma’s profile, but it also introduced a level of pressure that may have contributed to his exhaustion. "He probably thought he could finish Hrgovic early, pushed the pace, and ran out of gas," Groves explained. "He’ll need to own that mistake, and his team will have to adjust his training to address it." Looking ahead, Groves believes that a more durable opponent—someone who is strong but not as fast as Hrgovic—could provide a better learning environment.
He noted that Hrgovic’s size and strength made him a suitable test, but his lack of speed meant that Itauma’s own speed could not be fully utilized, especially when he was already fatigued. "The toughest job in boxing is probably navigating Itauma’s career because he’s so fast, so young, and so early in his development," Groves said.
Conor Benn faces a similarly complex rebuilding task. After moving up to 160 lb for two fights against Chris Eubank Jr. last year, Benn returned to welterweight for his bout with Garcia, only to be stopped early. Groves questioned where Benn truly belongs on the weight‑class ladder.
"I’m not sure where he sits among true world‑class fighters," he admitted. "If he doesn’t stay at 147 lb, who can he beat at 154 lb or 160 lb?" Groves expressed doubt about a permanent move to middleweight, suggesting that the super‑welterweight division (154 lb) might be a more realistic target.
That weight class is known for its depth of talent, even if it lacks the marquee names of the heavyweight or welterweight divisions. "There are a lot of very good fighters at 154, even if they aren’t household names," Groves noted.
He also left the door open for Benn to return to welterweight, where he would face elite opponents such as Teofimo Lopez or Shakur Stevenson, but acknowledged the difficulty of that path. One possible route for Benn, according to Groves, is to complete a trilogy with Eubank Jr., potentially at super‑middleweight (168 lb). While Groves is not enthusiastic about this being the only option, he believes it may be the most viable one at the moment.
"I don’t think the rivalry with Eubank is over, but it may become the main focus for Benn’s next steps," he said. "It’s not my favorite scenario, but it could be the best available path." Financially, Benn has already earned significant sums from his high‑profile fights, but Groves is confident that retirement is not on the horizon. "He’s made a lot of money, but I don’t think he’ll hang it up after this loss," Groves asserted. "He still has plenty of opportunities and won’t walk away while there’s still food on the table." In summary, both young British fighters need to address distinct yet overlapping challenges.
For Itauma, the priority is to develop endurance, learn to pace himself over longer rounds, and regain confidence after a high‑pressure loss. For Benn, the question revolves around finding the optimal weight class and opponent mix that will allow him to rebuild his reputation and skill set. Both will benefit from strategic matchmaking, refined training regimes that emphasize efficiency, and mental‑strength coaching to mitigate the lingering effects of their recent defeats. With the right adjustments, they can transform these setbacks into stepping stones toward future success in the sport.