Moses Itauma looks a sure thing: Herbie Hoops would approve

Las Vegas gambling legend Herb Lambeck was better known as “Herbie Hoops” for his almost supernatural ability as a college basketball handicapper. But he was even more knowledgeable about boxing than he was about b-ball and the late, great Sin City oddsmaker used to say, “Talkers don't win.”

I would love to know what sports handicapping icon Lambeck - who died in 2015, but who was a class above the squares and the suckers when it came to boxing and wagering lines - would make of Moses Itauma - who moved effortlessly to 14-0 (12) with another hugely impressive victory on DAZN at the weekend.

Itauma became the first ever professional to stop Jermaine Franklin on Saturday night in Manchester in a performance that put the division on notice once again.

The Chatham southpaw did get in some critical rounds while dominating Franklin in a one-sided shellacking. He dropped the rugged American in the third round in Manchester and scored a frightening fifth-round knockout that will rightly figure in any 2026 knockout of the year conversation. For those in the Itauma business – and the 16000+ live gate – it was almost a perfect night at the office.

Given his tender years, his level is just incredible. This young fellow is not just knocking on the door with each performance - he’s checking if the hinges are still attached. What really stands out is how calm he is. He doesn’t rush unnecessarily, picks his shots well, and seems to understand distance and timing instinctively. That’s the kind of thing trainers can’t easily teach.

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Moses Itauma becomes boxing superstar with destructive knockout

Watch Itauma vs. Franklin fight highlights

 

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Itauma has an incredible repertoire for someone so young. His shot selection is top notch, and he knows what he’s doing in there. Moreover, he is one of only a handful of active heavyweights who are capable of turning a jab into a philosophical argument.

There were some mumblings about Franklin’s body shape at the weigh on Friday, but nobody could criticise his chin, with the Saginaw, Michigan slugger regarded as one of the sturdiest and most durable fighters in the sport.

For this reason, I cannot think of another active heavyweight who would have done that to the American. Itauma's speed, accuracy and power are something else and the vicious left uppercut that closed the show was right out of the top drawer.

As well as a nonchalant ring demeanour he doesn’t waste much, as according to CompuBox stats Itauma finished the fight having landed 87 punches from his 275 thrown with an impressive accuracy ratio of 32%.

For some context Moses is beating guys all the top 15 heavyweights should really be beating, but he's doing it in uber impressive style and at a much earlier point in his career than most do. It’s incredible to think we could be watching this heavyweight phenomenon for the next 15 years and like most fight fans, I am intrigued to see where his journey takes us.

The only unknown so far: how he’ll handle elite-level opposition over longer, tougher fights. Right now, he’s been so dominant that he hasn’t had to dig deep yet. That said, when was the last time you saw a heavyweight move with this kind of speed and blast people out with such frightening accuracy?

During fight week, virtually all boxing sharps had a Itauma winning the fight, but opinion was divided as to whether there would be a highlight reel conclusion. Well, we got the highlight reel conclusion alright and then some.

Let’s have it right. Franklin at 32 was not past it and had arguably enjoyed the best win of his career in his previous fight when unanimously outpointing the previously unbeaten Ivan Dychko.

This was a bout where ‘Enriko’ could have – potentially - ran out of ideas. A contest where he could have got frustrated if he couldn’t make a dent on Franklin’s chin and worse still, he could have got clipped due to being frustrated and trying to force the issue.

Franklin had never been stopped despite going in with some massive punchers but was manhandled at the Co-op Live Arena and taken out in memorable fashion at 1:33 of the fifth round.

Having had a bet on ‘Over 4.5 rounds’ myself before the start – and said bet landing with three seconds to spare - it’s difficult to put into words just how impressed I was by this fistic phenom as the clocks prepared to change in the UK late on Saturday evening.

Frank Warren was another who seemed to be in awe during the post-fight interviews. The Hall-of-Fame promoter celebrates 45 years in the business this year but even the wily old Warren can’t have seen too many fighters with this type of potential. It’s frightening.

Young Moses is not a talker. There’s no brash rhetoric, before or after fights. Itauma carries the kind of quiet threat of maximum violence that Lambeck loved when he was analysing and handicapping fights during his punting pomp, and if Itauma can go on to fulfil his vast potential I’m convinced old ‘Herbie Hoops’ will be watching on with a smile somewhere over the rainbow.

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