In a recent interview with The Independent, Karol Itauma revealed the incident that prompted his exit from the sport, where his younger brother Moses is now poised to become one of its biggest stars.

Moses Itauma is now just a fight away from becoming the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson became one back in 1986. Tonight, at London’s O2 Arena, he will face Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF heavyweight title. While the 21-year-old put the final touches on his preparation, older brother Karol Itauma reflected on his life that changed after he suffered a heart attack two years ago.

“I was gonna do a seven-day water fast, just to detox my body and reset my system to start camp again,” Karol Itauma said. “Come day five or six, I woke up in the morning, and my heart started hurting. I thought, ‘That’s a bit strange,’ so I broke my fast with some fruit. Then I felt fine, so I thought, ‘I’m good now; let me just go for a run later on.'”

“When I came back that night, the pain was a lot higher. I went to A&E, and they didn’t take me seriously at first. Then they took my blood, and my troponin level was 50,000; in a normal person, I believe it’s like 0.4 (nanograms per milliliter).”

According to the reports, Karol’s troponin level stood at 0.04. Later, at Ashford’s William Harvey Hospital, doctors told the older Itauma that he may have to hang up his gloves. For someone who had been involved with boxing from an early age, that verdict was difficult to absorb.

Despite that warning, Karol decided to continue, stepping into the ring once again a few months later. Later, when he went for a medical check-up, reality hit him harder when the doctor told him, “Look, if you continue, you’re gonna die.”

“At that point, it was like, ‘Alright, cool, let me really try and resolve my situation first before I do anything else. So, that’s what I’ve been doing, trying to find ways to heal myself—if there is any way,” Karol Itauma said.

Karol Itauma’s conversation with The Independent came after the sad news of MMA fighter and former champion Charles Oliveira’s stablemate Allan Nascimento, who died. An active flyweight, the Sao Paulo native passed away on August 3 after suffering a heart attack.

While it was difficult to part ways with fighting, Karol decided to remain associated with the sport in other ways. That idea led him to open a fitness club called Club Eight Three in Kent’s Medway. Along with other amenities, the center offers cryotherapy for those serious about training.

Co-founded along with Moses and Frankie Wood, a professional boxer, and Anis Mehmeti, an attacking midfielder for professional football team Ipswich Town, the club is expected to open at another unspecified location soon.

Karol and Moses Itauma: When one fighting journey ended, another took flight

Born to a Nigerian father and a Slovak mother, Karol and Moses Itauma relocated to England, where they grew up in Kent. Picking up boxing at an early age, the brothers soon gained attention in the amateur scene. In 2018, Karol Itauma won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games.

Two years later, he signed with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and professionally debuted on December 5, when he defeated Lewis Van Poetsch on points.

Fighting mostly in London, Karol Itauma was on a nine-fight winning streak when his first attempt at a title – the WBC International light-heavyweight title (vacant) – ended when Argentine Ezequiel Maderna knocked him out in the fifth round.

Rebounding from that setback, Karol won his next three bouts before the heart attack halted his momentum.

He is now happy to bask in the accolades his younger brother has been receiving. A professional since January 2023, young Moses has remained unstoppable, becoming one of the most feared heavyweights on the current roster, with nearly 86% of his fights ending inside the distance.

Karol Itauma attributes his younger sibling’s achievements to his hard work, dedication, and God’s blessings. Like most fans, Karol is confident that Moses will become the new IBF champion.