Moses Itauma says Filip Hrgovic’s comments are starting to “wind him up” before their IBF heavyweight world title fight on Saturday.

A victory at the O2 Arena would mean 21-year-old Itauma becomes the second youngest heavyweight world champion in history, behind only Mike Tyson.

The British fighter is the favouite going into the contest, but Hrgovic has been trying to taunt his rival by calling him a “kid” and “inexperienced”.

“I tell myself there’s nothing that this Hrgovic guy can do to get in my head but he’s starting to wind me up,” Itauma said.

“In an interview earlier, apparently he said I wake up and I just hug trees. He’s really starting to annoy me.

“In my mind if somebody’s trying to get one up on you, or trying to get in your head, it’s because they’re not confident in themselves. Obviously Hrgovic is a talker.”

Croatia’s Hrgovic, 13 years Itauma’s senior, has suggested that victory for his opponent could have a negative affect on Itauma’s future and that losing the fight would “save his soul”.

“He’s already in the clouds. He’s already delusional,” Hrgovic said.

“It can ruin your soul, it can make you lose yourself and we’ve seen a lot of superstars and famous people who have lost themselves.

“They’re just lost in that crazy world of fame and money. He’s not ready for that. I think, for him, it would be best to lose this fight, to save his soul.

“Because what does it mean to achieve everything if you lose your soul and you lose yourself?”

Itauma has had a fast rise to the peak of the boxing mountain, making his professional debut less than four years ago and having 14 fights in that time, knocking his opponent out in all but two of them.

“I wouldn’t say he has a point but if I win this fight it might not be good for my soul,” Itauma conceded.

“That’s not the reason why I’m just gonna go in there and not win – for the sake of my soul. That’s not a good idea.”