Itauma is heavyweight boxing's rising star thanks to big KOs but Franklin poses test
Fearsome heavyweight Moses Itauma has drawn comparisons to a young Mike Tyson by knocking out one opponent after another. The 21-year-old Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) doesn’t waste time. None of his last nine opponents have made it through two rounds.
Indeed, Dillian Whyte — a former world title contender — didn’t last two minutes . A world title shot seems not far off — a potential showdown with Oleksandr Usyk , who holds three major belts, already has fans buzzing though the Ukrainian has downplayed it — but his next challenge comes Saturday night when he faces Jermaine Franklin Jr. in Manchester in a scheduled 10-round fight.
Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) is considered Itauma’s toughest test yet. The 32-year-old American took former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua the distance three years ago. That defeat came just over four months after his only other loss — to Whyte by majority decision, also in 12 rounds.
“I feel like Jermaine Franklin is the final piece of the puzzle. So, when I get asked about other fighters, that’s not going to happen if I don’t get through Jermaine Franklin," Itauma said at Thursday's press conference. A 6-foot-2 (1.
89-meter) British southpaw, Itauma combines power with elite hand speed and footwork. Only twice in his career — he turned pro three years ago in a debut KO victory that lasted just 23 seconds — has he failed to win by stoppage. Both of those were six-round bouts in 2023.