Breaking
Tag

Moses Itauma

Browsing
BOXING

Moses Itauma: Why ‘Greek god’ Anthony Joshua is ‘different’ to the

By
Moses Itauma Anthony Joshua

How Moses Itauma landed Jermaine Franklin KO – and why Anthony Joshua is ‘different’

Moses Itauma says his fifth-round knockout of Jermaine Franklin was “instinctive” and he will “respect” the need for patience in his career amid questions about a fight with Oleksandr Usyk.

In his 14th fight, 21-year-old Briton Itauma ended Franklin’s record of never being stopped in 27 bout to move a step closer to a potential bout with established superstars such as unified heavyweight champion Usyk and one of the Ukrainian’s predecessors, Anthony Joshua.

How Moses Itauma landed Jermaine Franklin KO – and why Anthony Joshua is ‘different’

JUST IN: 41 Years After His Mother’s Death, Mike Tyson Reveals Real Reason He Exhumed Her Dead Body Out of the Coffin

“Usyk’s earned the right to do whatever he wants,” said Itauma, revealing how one of his coaches, Lee Wylie, showed him a video they had looked at from his “scouting report” on 32-year-old Franklin in his dressing room after the win.

“There’s a pecking order that I’ve got to respect. I don’t really care what these other heavyweights think or feel.

“I know what the truth is and the ability I’m capable of. Now I’ve got to go out there and show it.”

Why Moses Itauma and Anthony Joshua are ‘different’

Itauma’s trainer, Ben Davison, guided Joshua to wins over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou and a knockout defeat at Wembley Stadium to Daniel Dubois between 2023 and 2024.

“They’re slightly different characters,” Davison told Seconds Out of the colossal punchers. “AJ’s built like a Greek god and is a great talker.

“Moses has this ‘wow’ factor of being this 21-year-old turning up and doing crazy ****. His ability – a flair-type style – with the knockout power… he’s very composed with it.”

Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua CREDIT: Esther Lin / Most Valuable Promotions

Joshua has called Davison “phenomenal” but left him before his one fight since – a farcical win over rookie and YouTuber Jake Paul in Miami last December – because the 36-year-old wanted to avoid the “distractions” of London.

The fighter known as ‘AJ’ has been linked to a long-awaited scrap with Tyson Fury, who is also a former unified champion with two defeats to Usyk to his name.

Fury – arguably the only Briton who can currently match Joshua’s popularity among active fighters – will compete for the first time in 16 months when the towering Mancunian meets Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11.

Will Moses Itauma vs Oleksandr Usyk happen?

Usyk, who beat Joshua twice and has become friends and worked with him since, last fought with a knockout win over Dubois at Wembley in July 2025.

Itauma is open to fighting Usyk imminently, but Davison believes another of his fighters, Fabio Wardley, could be next in line if he successfully defends his WBO title against Dubois on May 9.

“If Fabio beats Dubois, Usyk is saying he’ll fight Fabio,” said Davison, playing down talk of the 31-year-old facing one of the finest boxers of all time.

“We’re way away from the situation occurring where it’s like ‘we must see this fight’. It’s an unnecessary conversation.”

Moses Itauma on Jermaine Franklin knockout video

American Franklin went the distance in defeats to Whyte in 2022 and Joshua the following year but had no answer for Itauma, who earned the 12th knockout of a professional career that began in January 2023.

“I was in the ring and trying to work to my coach’s tactics, from what we’d drilled on,” reflected Itauma.

“When I threw that shot, I didn’t even think about it. They’re the ones that close the show. I’ve got to say a big thank you to Ben Davison, Lee Wylie and [coach] Barry Smith. They’ve been a big part of my journey.

“I’m happy that I’m able to not only please myself and the fans, but also the team. I knew I was able to knock him out, but not with one punch.

“He’s known for being able to take power. He took Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua’s best punches.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Oleksandr Usyk makes stance clear on Moses Itauma fight as he re

By
Turki Alalshikh Oleksandr Usyk Moses Itauma

Oleksandr Usyk makes stance clear on Moses Itauma fight as he reveals ‘negotiations underway’ for return

Oleksandr Usyk admits he is unlikely to share the ring with precocious British heavyweight Moses Itauma next.

The Chatham southpaw has torn through the heavyweight division at an alarming rate, and at just 20 years old, he is already being touted as a world champion in waiting.

Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh ranks Usyk vs Itauma highly on his boxing wishlist.

Oleksandr Usyk makes stance clear on Moses Itauma fight as he reveals 'negotiations underway' for return | talkSPORT

JUST IN: Tyson Fury prioritizes showdown with Oleksandr Usyk over waiting for Anthony Joshua in return fight

But Usyk, 38, doesn’t envisage the youngster in his immediate future.

“With Itauma? I won’t fight him,” he told UNN when asked about whether he will face Itauma in his next outing.

“He’s young. He’s still pushing me. And he said he doesn’t hit old men.”

Both Itauma and his trainer, Ben Davison, have repeatedly stated that they would accept a fight with Usyk in a heartbeat.

However, Itauma’s handlers aim to move their man at a more conservative rate.

The consensus feeling amongst his team is that Itauma needs to bank more rounds before diving in at the deep end.

Bouts with durable opponents such as Filip Hrgovic, Jermaine Franklin and Kubrat Pulev have been explored for December 13 in Manchester, although it has proven tricky to tie down his next dance partner.

Itauma’s promoter, Frank Warren, recently revealed to talkSPORTthat the majority of the boxers they have approached either priced themselves out of negotiations or flat-out rejected the fight.

Who could Oleksandr Usyk fight next?

Usyk, on the other hand, has no shortage of opponents queuing up to face him.

The Ukrainian was recently ordered by the WBO to face the winner of Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley’s upcoming clash on October 25 for the major sanctioning body’s interim title.

Meanwhile, Tyson Fury is campaigning for a trilogy with his bitter rival.

Whilst Usyk stopped short of revealing who he expects to face next, the former pound-for-pound king declared that ‘negotiations are underway’.

“I can’t say who I’ll be in the ring with because negotiations are underway,” he added.

“I’d be fooling you if I gave you a name…

“I train every day. Yesterday morning, I arrived and immediately went to the training hall.

“I train with the goal of entering the ring next year and, with God’s help, winning.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Oleksandr Usyk gives verdict on Moses Itauma as Turki Alalshikh

By
Oleksandr Usyk Moses Itauma

Oleksandr Usyk gives verdict on Moses Itauma as Turki Alalshikh pitches massive showdown

Literally everybody is raving about British heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma – even the best fighter on the planet right now.

Oleksandr Usyk is not only the undisputed world heavyweight champion right for the second time in just over a year, he is also the consensus P4P top fighter in the world in any division.

Turki Alalshikh: "Usyk Is One of the Greatest Boxers of Our Generation" - Ready To Fight

JUST IN: VIDEOS: Terence Crawford’s smashed greatest rival to achieve his

The 38-year-old has clearly been watching the rise of the 20-year-old Itauma as the phenom from Chatham in Kent continues to build towards the top level.

READ MORE: Moses Itauma SCHOOLS critics with genius response over ‘chin check’

‘Enriko’, as he is known, has built a 12-0 professional record with 10 of those wins coming inside the first two rounds. One devastating highlight reel finish after another.

Itauma is already ranked number 1 by the WBO (World Boxing Organization) and a world title shot appears to be on the cards sooner rather than later. When Usyk flattened Daniel Dubois last month to become undisputed, Saudi power broker Turki Alalshikh was quick to suggest that a showdown with Itauma is THE FIGHT that boxing wants and needs.

Itauma himself has been quick to suggest that his skillset is on a par with Usyk or better, but admits he needs more rounds and experience to get that championship level of endurance and mindset.

Usyk on Moses Itauma

As for Usyk, he is clearly very very impressed by the young prodigy, who mixes devastating speed and power with a remarkable ring IQ for one so young.

He told talkSPORT: “Moses Itauma. I think he is a great fighter. Young, 20 years, yes? I think Itauma has a big future.”

It remains to be seen whether that future includes a blockbusting showdown vs Usyk, but before that Moses will take a big step up in class when he meets former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in a crossroads matchup in Riyadh next Saturday night (August 16).

Itauma will start a hot favourite against a man who just three years ago was challenging Tyson Fury for the WBC heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium. Now at the age of 37, and relatively inactive since that night, there are question marks about what Whyte has left.

We will find out the answer to that question in a few days, but many expect him to give Itauma his biggest test yet.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

VIDEOS: Moses Itauma Hopes To Follow Floyd Mayweather’s P

By
Floyd Mayweather

Moses Itauma Hopes To Follow Floyd Mayweather’s Path; Not Focused On Oleksandr Usyk

Perhaps no boxer left a better blueprint for how to navigate their career better than Floyd Mayweather Jr., a five-division champion, 2021 International Boxing Hall of Famer and box-office gold mine.
Rapidly ascending heavyweight contender Moses Itauma hopes he can say that he followed the same path as Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs), ahead of his fight against Dillian Whyte on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on DAZN PPV.
Tony Bellew Didn't Hesitate When Asked If Moses Itauma Is Ready To Dethrone Oleksandr Usyk - Seconds Out

JUST IN: Terence Crawford Reveals Future Plans Before $200M

“He made a lot of money in this sport, came out with his brains intact, no damage and whatnot and nobody can say, ‘Yeah, I [beat] him up,” Itauma told The Ring’s Louis Hart. “That’s the career that I want. When people are insecure about themselves, they put a little doubt, a little bit of pressure on someone, hoping that they’re going to break because it makes them feel better.

 

“With Floyd Mayweather, he was such a good fighter. [He was] 50-0, people are insecure about that. People don’t want to accept that reality, so they put a bit of doubt and pressure on Floyd Mayweather to get him to crack just so they can feel better. I don’t look at it from that perspective. I look at it like, ‘Wow, he’s achieved a lot.'”

 

Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) has quickly asserted himself as one of boxing’s best heavyweight prospects in recent memory with his dynamic speed, skill and power and can take a significant step in his development with a win over Whyte. The 20-year-old has won eight consecutive fights by stoppage, all of which have come inside the first two rounds.

 

Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs), though, is by far the most significant test of Itauma’s career. He has fought for the heavyweight title and has shared the ring with some of the better heavyweights in the world when he fought them before his sixth-round stoppage loss to Tyson Fury in April 2022. Whyte has won three straight fights since that defeat, though, the level of competition was subpar.

 

In his last fight, Whyte, 37, stopped Ebenezer Tetteh after the seventh round on Dec. 15.

 

Itauma, who is a 6-foot-4 1/2 southpaw and is ranked No. 1 (WBO), No. 2 (WBA), No. 6 (IBF) and No. 11 (WBC), could be in a position for a world title shot with an impressive win Saturday. That title shot, if it came to fruition in the near future, could come against undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs).

 

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh hasn’t been bashful about his intentions to make Usyk vs. Itauma should he get past Whyte. For Itauma, though, a chance to face the best heavyweight of this generation for all of the belts is the last thing on his mind.

 

“I’m not thinking about it,” Itauma said. “I’m not [thinking], ‘I wish that could happen’ because right now, I’ve got a serious contender like Dillian Whyte in front of me, but after, maybe.”

 

Keep Reading
By