MANCHESTER, England – The shackles are off Moses Itauma after his impressive fifth-round finish of Jermaine Franklin, and promoter Frank Warren is already plotting what’s next.
The 14-0 (12 KOs) Itauma, a heavyweight from Chatham, Kent, made light work of the usually durable American Franklin, landing a crunching left uppercut in Round 5 to end proceedings. Itauma, just 21 years old, became the first man to stop Franklin, something his compatriots Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte failed to do. It now seems there is no point in holding the youngster back any longer. Itauma has proved that he has the speed, power and precision to mix it with the very best in the division. Oleksandr Usyk currently rates as the heavyweight king, but after Itauma’s showing last night at Manchester’s Co-op Live, many believe that he could be the one to dethrone Ukraine’s Usyk. 24-0.
It seems, however, that Usyk, the unified heavyweight champion, has no plans to face the 21-year-old Itauma. Usyk recently stated that he plans to have three more fights, starting with kickboxing great Rico Verhoeven in May. His plans did not include Itauma. However, Usyk may have no choice, as Itauma currently sits in pole position for Usyk’s WBA belt and will eventually be ordered to fight for it.
“Well, I like Oleksandr Usyk; when you look at him and look at the belts he's got, you look at his resume,” said Warren. “He's fighting a kickboxer [Rico Verhoeven in May at the Pyramids of Giza] next for money – good luck to him. But he wants the big fights; that's what he's saying – he wants big fights. Do you not think we'd sell Wembley Stadium out with Moses Itauma and Usyk? You'd sell it out five or six times over, right this minute – right this minute. And the pay-per-view, the viewing figures would go through the roof. I really think that's a fight that should happen, and it may get ordered.
“I'm sort of very careful with what I do with fighters, as you know. But, yes, I would make that fight now. Styles makes fights. [Itauma’s] got youth, he's got speed. I mean, Usyk is a great, great fighter. I think this young man is something extra special. At this moment in time, he's the best I've been involved with at heavyweight, bar none.”
Tom Ivers is a lifelong fight fan and former amateur boxer who has a master’s degree in sports journalism. Tom joined BoxingScene in 2024 and is now a key part of the UK and social media teams.
