Moses Itauma LOSES IBF world heavyweight title clash in huge upset: British star leaves arena on a stretcher after being stopped by Filip Hrgovic in ninth round

Moses rose to the mountain summit and was left there as a brother Christian climbed over him and walked on to the promised land.

There was a hugely significant difference from his biblical namesake.

Itauma was flattened in a fight against Filip Hrgovic the Croatian Iron Man of such astonishing violence that it was frightening.

A fight so brutal that the most trumpeted UK boxing prodigy for decades had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher - make that his shield - and on to hospital.

The other promise - that of becoming the second youngest world heavyweight champion of all time behind Mike Tyson - went unfulfilled.

Hopefully not for good.

But not the prediction of a fight across their ages to remember for years to come.

Twenty-one played 34 and the kid lost - after flooring and pounding Hrgovic for eight rounds.

By his own admission Hrgovic did ‘not know where I found the strength and energy to beat him to the ground in the ninth.

But he did venture to add: ‘ I knew he would tire at some point.'

As Itauma was submerged by a torrent of punches the towel fluttered in from his corner.

He lived to fight. Maybe only just.

Prior to the showdown, questions had hung over London’s 02.

Was Moses too young to fulfil all the prophesies?

Was Fil the Croat too late in life to seize the Holy Grail?

Had Itauma lost his cool at the very last with that schoolboy shove at the weigh-in. Or had he been asked to help sell the last few tickets somewhat surprisingly still for sale on Friday evening?

Had Hrgovic — who was fighting a British boxer for the fifth consecutive time — eventually succeeded in getting under the skin of the lad whose face he threatened to smash?

Would we be treated to the promised slugfest and brutal knockout? Which of them might be launched to stardom?

As they say, anything can happen in heavyweight boxing — and Itauma was to find that out to his cost later.

Among those who were looking most keenly for answers were potential future opponents for Itauma. Daniel Dubois, another big-hitting English heavyweight prodigy who already wears the WBO world championship belt, and white collar puncher Fabio Wardley.

Those two meet this October in a rematch of their midsummer slugfest in which Dubois prevailed by brute force and willpower in the 11th round — and the pair squared up to each other in the ring before the main event, which was scheduled for 12 rounds.

That will all have to wait for now. Itauma, who was born in Kezmarok, Slovakia, but raised in Kent after moving at eight years old, stormed out of the blocks.

Both had pledged to go for a quick kill in the fervent 02. Itauma was as good as his word. His first five big shots won the first but Hrgovic’s chin proved resilient.

Moses tested it to better effect at the onset of the second and scored a flash knockdown. But the Croat rallied and slowly came into the fight, shaking Itauma three times in the third.

In the fourth, there were worrying signs for the man from Zagreb as a cut appeared above his right eye. Itauma kept examining the Hrgovic chin but he could not land the early finish.

To his credit, Hrgovic was giving as good as he got as he traded blows with Itauma in the fifth during some brutal exchanges.

It was pretty much the same story in an astonishing sixth that tested the resilience of both to the limit as they tried to land a killer blow. By now, both fighters appeared to be struggling as the gas tank appeared to empty.

It was new ground for Itauma in the seventh as he had never gone beyond six rounds.

In his impatience, some of his swings became wild. But not all. By the end of the round, Hrgovic was being treated for a swelling above his left eye.

It looked all over in the eighth as Itauma unleashed a flurry of big shots. But Hrgovic refused to down tools and found a second wind in the ninth as he put paid to Itauma’s hopes of a historic victory.

Other men were brave beyond the call. But the most rousing salute of all must go Croatia's first world heavyweight champion.

Filip Hrgovic. What a man.