Novice Itauma looks set for lengthy champ reign

Moses Itauma is currently the most exciting fighter in world boxing. The 20-year-old heavyweight sensation issued his latest statement of intent, stopping Dillian Whyte in the first round of Saturday’s main event in Saudi Arabia.

Unbeaten Itauma has made a rapid rise in the pro ranks. This was only the southpaw’s 13th bout. Only two have lasted the distance. Itauma was born in Slovakia to a Slovakian mother and a Nigerian father. The family moved to England when he was three. A prodigy, he used to arrive still in his school uniform, aged 15, to spar with the likes of Anthony Joshua and Joe Joyce.

Whyte, 37, a former world title challenger, was expected to give him a stern test but the youngster’s fast and precise punches meant he comprehensively overpowered the veteran in a couple of minutes. 

It inspired former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury to tip the youngster to beat the world’s best. Every one of them.

Fury has backed Itauma to “wreck” Oleksandr Usyk and the rest of the world’s top heavyweights. Fury said on his Instagram feed: “My opinion is not someone who doesn’t know boxing. My opinion is someone who has been there and won every single belt. Won everything there is to win in boxing and done very well.

“Moses Itauma will wreck all them all old men out of the division. Usyk, AJ, Miller. Whoever there is that’s old. Zhang, whoever else the f*** there is, Luis Ortiz. All these big names of the past.

“Even the man who took my belts. Usyk, Moses will wreck him because it’s a young man versus an old man. And an old man can’t mess with a young man.”

Itauma is likely to have one more learning fight before challenging for a title. His chance to become champ may come if Usyk vacates his WBO belt instead of defending against mandatory challenger Joseph Parker.