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With Tyson record out of reach how does Moses Itauma take the next steps to greatness?
‘Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.’
So said William Shakespeare in Twelfth Night , and what the Bard is alluding to there is that our worth and station in life is not necessarily our choice, and no matter what occurs, we must rise to the occasion.
Now, I’m not sure how much of a Shakespeare fan Moses Itauma is, but based on what we have seen so far, the Chatham slugger looks to have the tools and the temperament to be great.
Itauma is the most exciting prospect in boxing’s heavyweight division . In fact, scratch that. He's probably the most exciting prospect in the whole sport.
When he first burst onto the scene in January 2023 and blasted out Marcel Bode on debut, there was talk that he could beat a heavyweight record that had stood for almost 40 years.
Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at the age of 20 years, four months and 21 days old when he blitzed Trevor Berbick inside two unforgettable sessions to win the WBC heavyweight title.
Those in the Itauma business thought their man could beat the record and become the youngest world heavyweight champion in history.
It was always going to be a tall order, and with ‘Enriko’ turning 20 himself on December 28 it meant he would have to box for – and win – a version of the world title by the end of April this year.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom
Alas that ship has now sailed, but the 11-0 (9) blue-chip prospect gets his next outing against Mike Balogun at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on May 24.
With all due respect to Balogun, this is another test Itauma should pass with flying colours. And while the man himself will insist he is not looking past his Scottish date – his first outing in 2025 - Itauma will have one eye on what is happening elsewhere in the heavyweight division.
With all the heavyweight belts in play when Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois fight for the undisputed title at London's Wembley Stadium on July 19 , boxing’s blue riband division should again have one champion in late July.
And while we are definitely not about to tell Hall-of-Fame promoter Frank Warren – a past master when it comes to guiding top prospects – how to move his brightest young star, here the DAZN News team take a look at three possible fights we would like to see Itauma involved in over the next 12 months.
Kubrat Pulev
The Bulgarian behemoth is the WBA regular champion and a fighter who is normally pretty durable. He is also 44 so it would perhaps be a canny bit of matchmaking if Queensberry can get this fight made.
A pro since 2009 so someone with bags of experience, Pulev has had a decent career and scored some notable wins against Derek Chisora, Hughie Fury, and Mahmoud Charr. However, Chisora beat him in a 2022 rematch and two fights before that he was blasted out by Anthony Joshua.
Mark Robinson
The only two men to stop 'The Cobra' are AJ and Wladimir Klitschko, so it's a fight that ticks a lot of boxes and the WBA regular belt would also be a nice bargaining chip when negotiations eventually start for Moses to fight for one of the four main belts.
There is not much between them in terms of size, and Pulev is as tough as old boots but in the winter of his career may not have enough to keep the young lion with the remarkable ring IQ at bay.
Jared Anderson
Itauma is the most exciting youngster the heavyweight division has seen in years. Ironically Anderson – guided by Top Rank - was getting the same kind of hype not that long ago as he streaked to 17-0.
America has been yearning for a new king at heavyweight since Tyson Fury won his trilogy series with Alabama banger Deontay Wilder, and that is because for years the world heavyweight boxing title was predominantly held by US fighters.
Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images
Plenty of good judges though Anderson might be the one. Alas he showed his limitations by being manhandled and blasted out by Martin Bakole in Los Angeles last August, and the now 18-1 (15) 25-year-old faces a serious rebuilding job.
A fight against ‘The Real Big Baby’ could raise Enriko’s profile in America, and it’s a fight you would pick him to win. Anderson has power, but nine of the 11 victories Itauma has on his record have come inside the first two rounds – and there’s a real feeling we are still only just scratching the surface with him in terms of potential.
Martin Bakole
This fight would be somewhat out of left field, but Warren said he is open to making Itauma against Bakole in 2025, and a win over the man from the Democratic Republic of The Congo would be a huge statement.
The Bakole who fought Jared Anderson at 284lbs – if he still exists – is a huge problem for any heavyweight. However, he weighed in at 299lbs for his last fight – a draw with Efe Ajagba – and fans are starting to wonder whether Bakole actually has the mental fortitude and discipline needed to be a top level fighter.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Stylistically it would be intriguing. Bakole has glaring defensive flaws and can look ponderous in there at times. However, his power is legit so Itauma would have to be switched on for every minute of every round.
Given Itauma’s age and Bakole’s experience, this is a risky fight but there is no question it would be all-action. Plenty would ask is Itauma ready for someone like Bakole but given his skill set, speed and power, you could also ask realistically is Martin Bakole ready to face Moses Itauma?
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