Some fans are looking at heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma as the next UK world champion. They're impressed with the knockouts the fringe contender scores, but he hasn't fought anyone yet to show whether or not he's for real.
His promoter matches him carefully as he should, but fans may be disappointed when Itauma is finally matched with someone with real talent.
The Frank Warren-promoted 20-year-old Itauma (11-0, 9 KOs) knocked out journeyman Dempsey McCain in the first round last week in Riyadh, impressing his British fans with his potential. First he dropped McCain with a left hand to the back of the head, knocking him down again.
The next big thing?
Some boxing fans have been talking about Itauma breaking Mike Tyson's record by becoming the fastest world heavyweight champion. This does not happen. Itauma cannot break Mike Tyson's record Unless he gets a world title shot within the next four months. Mike Tyson was 20 years and four months old when he captured 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 champion Daniel Dubois or Oleksandr Usyk. He will likely be exposed, just like his brother, Karol Itauma.
It is still too early to say if Itauma will succeed as he has yet to fight a world class heavyweight and is not tall at 6’2″. Itauma's brother, Carroll, also looked good at first, but when he faced a decent lightweight, Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna, he was knocked out in the fifth round.
Every fighter looks good at first when faced with the type of opposition Moses was fighting.
Drink the Kool-Aid
“They're looking at this kid to be the next heavyweight champion from England, and they may be right,” Teddy Atlas said on his Twitter page. channelHe is talking 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 unavoidable. He doesn't look like a guy with a big punch until he hits you. He (Itauma) has got a chance to break Mike Tyson's record to become the youngest heavyweight ever. He's only 11-0.”
Itauma is a decent contender, but I don't see him winning a world title unless he follows the path of Kubrat Pulev and Mahmut Schar by capturing the WBA “regular” heavyweight belt. It doesn't take a lot of talent to win this belt. While Usyk and Dubois are there, Itauma won't win any of the prestigious belts.
If some other contender, like Ajit Kapil or Martin Pacolli, gets a world title, I don't see him overtaking any of these guys. Itauma is a good main contender but he is not the next British heavyweight champion. He will not replace Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua as the UK's next superstar.
“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 the speed to handle it (power). He is calm, confident, and has a strong style. They did a good job with him. You have to have good technique if you want to have talent. “He showed me he was smart,” Atlas said.
