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Why generational talent Moses Itauma can silence the moaners with Jermaine Franklin win
Are we becoming a nation of moaners?
Thomas Tuchel for example must wonder what on earth he needs to do to get England’s football fans going, as evidently eight qualifying wins in a row (with 22 goals scored and zero conceded) isn’t good enough. The level of negativity, the sneering, and in some cases just pure vitriol was remarkable online after the Three Lions beat Albania the other week and became the first European side in history to play at least six World Cup qualifiers and win them all without conceding.
There’s a comforting truth about life in the UK. No matter where you go, what you do or who you meet, somebody somewhere is already half raging about something.
I get it. Look, it’s hard not to feel a bit downcast about the direction of the country. I have evidence on my iPhone that mate in a WhatsApp group I am in (whop shall remain nameless) paid £7.36 for 1 x Double Cheeseburger on Uber Eats last week. Just let that sink in.
If there is one thing we excel at more than sport, politics or music… it’s complaining.
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Last Saturday in the pub a mate of mine was genuinely fuming about the fact that Moses Itauma had only boxed twice in 2025. Such was his dissatisfaction he twice blurted out “Frank Bruno had 13 bouts in his first year,” as a mystified female next to him tried to order a Prosecco and a packet of Salt and Vinegar McCoy’s.
Now such is the current climate there are any number of things to complain about right now – utility bill prices that could qualify as assault, idiotic MPs or £7 iced coffees to name but three – but I am not having Itauma dragged into the negativity. The boy is mustard.
It’s true he has had just three rounds of action in 2025. That’s partly due to how destructive he has been in his fights and partly due to opponents wanting silly money to take such an increasingly dangerous assignment. I guess this is one of the pitfalls of billing your fighter as the new Mike Tyson. Dillian Whyte was supposed to represent some semblance of a step up in competition for Itauma back in August. He lasted precisely one minute and 59 seconds.
However, Itauma gets a genuine test next in the shape of Jermaine Franklin on that stacked DAZN Magnificent 7 card on January 24.
Summary for the lazy: Franklin is the perfect opponent for Itauma's development at this stage.
The 24-2 (15) from Saginaw, Michigan, has only lost decisions to Whyte and Anthony Joshua in a pro career that began back in 2015. He’s won three consecutive bouts since those back-to-back UK defeats and is coming off a career best win over Ivan Dychko.
Franklin, who is known more for being a rugged counter-puncher than for his ring finesse - is mega durable and knows his way around the ring. The American’s best path to victory lies in his durability, high work rate, and forward pressure. Looking back at that AJ fight, Joshua didn’t just struggle with Franklin’s toughness; it was the work rate too. AJ could do little to get his respect.
Itauma 13-0 (11) is in a tough spot. If he blows Franklin away within two sessions people will have a moan that he still isn’t getting rounds. In truth an early KO - first or second round - doesn't truly benefit Itauma beyond bragging rights for stopping the guy AJ and Whyte could not. Yet if Franklin manages to go the distance the ‘Is he really all that?’ brigade will be out in force.
‘Enriko’ said in an early presser for this that he hopes a few rounds with Franklin will prove to people he is the whole package.
"Franklin, great fight, great fighter. The reason why everybody feels it's a perfect fight is because what he does well, there's questions marks on my career.
"I believe this fight is the best for my development. Not only that, I can finally shut a few people up.
"It might not get there (the fight going late), and if it does get there then them questions are finally answered. You guys are just going to have to wait, tune in and see.”
Itauma probably would like to have been busier and would likely have preferred to have been out on December 13- as first planned – so he could enjoy his Christmas dinner in peace.
However, we are where we are, and this is a heavyweight who lives and breathes boxing. Just because he has not been fighting as regularly this year does not mean he has not been putting in work in the gym. At 20 he is very much a work in progress and so people should just fasten their seatbelts and prepare to enjoy the ride.
The big man won each of his four bouts by KO or TKO in 2024, which earned him The Ring’s coveted ‘Prospect of the Year’ award. They don’t give those awards away and Tyson (1985) and Joshua (2014) are former winners.
In 2026, International Boxing Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren is celebrating 45 years in the professional business. Trust me, he knows a thing or two about the sport, having guided the likes of Bruno, Naseem Hamed, Nigel Benn, Amir Khan, Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe to the very top. Itauma is being tipped by many as Britian’s next big star, and he has not put a foot wrong yet.
So while most of us in the UK are the sort of people who will quietly complain about something for years without really raising our voice above a conversational murmur, I implore all boxing fans to recognise that we are living through a boom time for the sport. And given history has shown us that good times inevitably don’t last forever can everyone – from the optimistic to the perennially displeased – just get behind this generational young prodigy and see how far he can go.
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