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Why Jermaine Franklin is the perfect test for Moses Itauma
It took longer than expected, but Moses Itauma’s next fight has been confirmed for January 24 next year.
Taking place at Manchester’s Co-op Live, heavyweight boxing’s most exciting talent will be facing Jermaine Franklin in what could be the start of an exciting 2026 for Itauma.
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Numerous names were linked with Itauma and a proposed fight date on December 13, but for one reason or another, most likely financial reasons, nothing materialised.
America’s Franklin has since become the man to answer the call to step into the ring with Itauma, a familiar name to British fight fans and one who many hope will offer a test which has been lacking so far in Itauma’s boxing career.
Frank Warren hopes Jermaine Franklin is the ‘perfect opponent’ for Moses Itauma
The first thing that springs to mind when Itauma’s name is mentioned are knockouts. His first-round dispatch of Dillian Whyte in August is still being talked about, but one concern is whether he will ever get the rounds needed to develop before challenging for major titles at heavyweight.
For his promoter Frank Warren, you would think that he would like to see how Itauma would fare in a contest which goes a considerable distance. Instead, Warren is enjoying watching the 20-year-old make easy work of his opponents.
“I hate to say this, but I just want to see him get rid of people,” Warren told BoxNation.
“Somebody will take him the distance, but that happens to all fighters, then he’s got to go to Plan B.”
Whether Franklin will be the ‘perfect opponent’ for Itauma, Warren hopes he can fulfil these criteria before steering his charge towards a world title shot before the end of 2026.
“I hope he’s a perfect opponent. I know it will be competitive; we believe in Moses.
“He only fought twice this year, a couple of problems, we lost the December date this year, he’s got to get back to being busy.
“I’m looking for him to challenge for a world title, that’s what I am looking for next year.”
How Jermaine Franklin can cause problems for Moses Itauma
To British fight fans, Franklin is a familiar name. Within the space of six months between 2022 and 2023, he faced two British heavyweight stalwarts, Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua.
Both times Franklin may have lost, but he did go the full 12-round distance with both men. This is exactly why he’s been brought in to face Itauma.
The last time Itauma went past the second round in any of his fights was in July 2023 in his points win over Kevin Nicolas Espindola. Since then, every one of Itauma’s opponents have been knocked out with every one of his subsequent nine outings not going past the second round.
Compared to Whyte or Joshua, Itauma is a harder puncher, therefore he may be able to do something which neither man could do, and that’s have Franklin in a heap on the ring canvas because of an explosive knockout punch.
However, Franklin has proven that the big punchers do not face him. He can make it awkward for his opponents and is a durable operator. His meeting with Anthony Joshua saw him absorb numerous body shots and keep the fight at close range to nullify the threats posed by AJ.
In order for Franklin to give Itauma the much-needed rounds those around him crave, a similar strategy will need to be adopted. Making the fight a scrappy one will restrict Itauma’s ability to throw his left hook, a punch which he favours to bring fights to an early conclusion.
If Itauma is unable to get his hard-hitting hands away, the boxing world will finally get to see what ‘Plan B’ the British prospect has in store and whether it will be good enough to overcome the best the heavyweight division has to offer.
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