Moses Itauma could be fighting for a heavyweight world title later this year after another devastating knockout performance.
The 21-year-old sensation from Chatham stepped up another level at the weekend when he faced American Jermaine Franklin, an experienced boxer who had never been stopped before. Itauma knocked him out inside five rounds at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.
Itauma was back fighting in England for the first time since first-round KO wins over Dillian Whyte and Demsey McKean in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a two-round knockout of Mike Balogun in Glasgow a year ago.
Franklin had 15 knockout wins himself from his 26 pro fights, beaten only twice before, losing to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte recently. Both of those fights had gone the distance
Itauma had shown his American opponent plenty of respect prior to the fight, expecting his toughest challenge yet, but from round one, the Medway boxer looked every bit like the man many are talking up as being a future World Champion.
A stunning uppercut in the fifth round completed another superb win for Itauma.
He said: “I know what I’m capable of – it was just another day at the office! It’s just about going out and proving it.”
Speaking in the ring after the fight, promoter Frank Warren said: “He will be out again, probably in July.
“We will sit down and look at a few things. He is no.1 in WBO and no.1 in WBA, there are a lot of fights happening over the next few months.
“We will sort something out. It will be a big, big fight because he is a big fighter.
“He is so exciting. He fought a very tough guy and broke him down and did what nobody else could do, which was stop him.
“I am pretty confident he will fight for a world title this year. Very confident.”
Itauma said: “I think my team wanted me to get some rounds in, and I was able to do that – if I am honest, I don’t think it could have gone any better.
“I went the rounds that were necessary and I got the job done. I took a shot as well, which answered some questions! Now it’s about what’s next.
“I have just turned 21, I have [beaten] Dillian Whyte, Demsey McKean and now Jermaine Franklin with knockouts, I’ve done what some other British heavyweights couldn’t do, and they have gone on to achieve successful things – what’s the limit for me?”
Itauma was lively from the off, landing several blows to the durable American in the first round. The bell came at a good time for Franklin, as he was under an ambush from the southpaw.
Some more accurate blows in the second round shook Franklin up, and late in the third, the man from Michigan was down on his knees after taking a blow to the side of the head. The bell saved him again.
Itauma continued to dominate the fight and brushed off a couple of hits as Franklin attempted to make an impression. The fight was only going one way, however.
It was all over in round five. Itauma drew his opponent in and then landed a devastating left-handed uppercut, described by the ringside commentator as an “absolute peach”, which left Franklin in a daze. Itauma guided him to the canvas with a right-handed follow-up.
Fight fans will be eager to see who he fights next.
Britain’s top-two-ranked heavyweights, Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois, meet at the same Manchester venue in May, while many would love to see the up-and-coming star face Oleksandr Usyk, holder of the IBF, IBO and WBC World titles. The Ukrainian had his own fight lined up in May against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
What’s next for Itauma? He said: “We have to go back to the drawing board and see who is available.
“There is a pecking order I have to respect. I don’t care what these other heavyweights think or feel, I know what the truth is, and I know the ability I am capable of. I have to go and show it.”
Promoter Frank Warren, speaking in the post-fight press conference, said: “Moses and Usyk would sell Wembley out five or six times over. Pay-per-view would go through the roof. I think that’s a fight that should happen.
“He’s got youth, he’s got speed, this young man is something special.
“At heavyweight, at this moment, he’s the best I have been involved in, bar none.
“He’s got fast hands, footwork, and a great boxing brain and because of how fast he is, boxers are worried where it is going to come from, rather than getting on the defence.”
Itauma holds the WBA international and WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight championship titles and has made rapid strides since turning pro.
He was back in Manchester at the weekend, the same city where he had won the 2017 English Schools Championship final just nine years earlier.
Itauma added: “I won my first national title as an 11-year-old [in Manchester] and now I have come to a sold-out arena – the Lord is good!”
