Some fans see heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma as the United Kingdom’s next world champion. They’re impressed with the knockouts the ultimate competitor is scoring, but he hasn’t fought anyone yet to show if it’s real.
His promoter is keeping a close eye on him, but fans may be disappointed when Itauma is finally compared to someone with actual talent.
Promoted by Frank Warren, 20-year-old Itauma (11-0, 9 KOs) was knocked out in the first round last week in Riyadh and his British fans are excited about his potential. At first, he dropped Mackin with a left to the back of the head and knocked him down again.
The next big thing?
Some boxing fans say that Itauma broke Mike Tyson’s record to become the fastest heavyweight champion of the world. That is NOT happening. Itauma CANNOT break Mike Tyson’s record unless he gets the world title within the next four months. Mike Tyson was 20 years and four months old when he won his first world title, stopping WBC champion Trevor Berbick in the second round on November 22, 1986.
It would be a bad idea to put Moses Itauma with heavyweight champions Daniel Dubois or Alexander Usyk. He would probably be exposed, just like his brother Karol Itauma.
It is still too early to tell if Itauma will make it because he has yet to fight a world class heavyweight and he is not 6’2″. Itauma’s brother Karol also looked good at first, but when he faced a decent welterweight, Ezekiel Oswaldo Maderno, he was knocked out in the fifth round.
Any fighter initially looks good when compared to the type of opposition that Moses fought.
Drinking The Kool-Aid
“They’re looking at this kid to be the next big heavyweight to come out of England, and they might be right,” Teddy Atlas said on his channeltalking about 19-year-old Moses Itauma. “Ben Davison is the coach. He’s the same guy who trains (Anthony) Joshua and does a good job with him.
“His talent is inescapable.” He doesn’t seem like a big hitter until he hits you. He (Itauma) has a chance to break Mike Tyson’s record and become the youngest heavyweight of all time. He’s only 11-0 though.”
Itauma is a decent competitor, but I don’t see him winning a world title unless he follows the path of Kubrat Pulev and Mahmoud Char by winning the WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight belt. It doesn’t take much talent to win that belt. While Usyk and Dubois are there, Itauma will not win any of the prestigious belts.
If any of the other contenders, like Agit Kabayelo or Martin Bakola, get their hands on the world title, I don’t see them beating either of them. Itauma is a good core competitor, but he is NOT the next British Heavyweight Champion. He won’t replace the in-demand Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua as the UK’s next star.
“He has a great promoter, Frank Warren,” Atlas said of Itauma. “He has the talent, but he doesn’t have the experience to fight Usyk or Dubois.”
He has speed (power). He is calm, confident and his technique is solid. They did a good job with him. You have to have good technique if you want to have talent. He showed me he’s smart,” Atlas said.
