Moses Itauma has remarkable ring IQ, and the British heavyweight sensation is pretty smart outside the ropes too.
Even at the tender age of 20 the 11-0 budding superstar from Chatham, Kent is already thinking about how his career plays out – and the importance of an exit plan.
Itauma has the stated aim of becoming a world heavyweight champion some time soon, but he’s also able to look much further ahead.
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He talked about when boxers retire, and more importantly when they should retire, during a fascinating and wide-ranging interview with the Ring magazine podcast.
Itauma on retirement
The man they call ‘Enriko’ said: “The problem is, when do you call it quits? It’s like… it’s that one more fight that could’ve been that damaging career, you know, or that career-ending injury, or that, that physical injuring career, d’you get what I mean?
“And it’s like when do you call it a day? When is the right time? Like, let’s say Andre Ward, he might’ve had one more fight and, you know, something bad might’ve happened to him. Or XYZ, XYZ might’ve happened to Joe Calzaghe, exactly the same thing could’ve happened to him.
“I just feel like… you just never know with this sport. So you’ve gotta get in and get out. But at the same time, you’ve gotta make the most of this career.”
As Itauma pointed out, an athlete’s career is relatively short, and the young phenom recognises the importance of maximising every possible opportunity.
Taking every opportunity
He reasoned: “That’s why I’m so grateful that I’ve got such a good team behind me. I can’t be thankful and grateful enough with. Just like, my team is like, is covered from all angles. And like, if I wanted to stop boxing today, I probably could. It wouldn’t be a lavish lifestyle, but I probably could, d’you know what I mean? Like I said, I don’t have any plan to exit the sport, no nothing, but obviously, in my mind, it’s – you get your money and get out.
“But at the same time, you’ve gotta make something of your career, because you only get one. I don’t wanna be 60 years old, or 70 years old and thinking, ‘Ah, I should’ve done one more fight with this guy’ or ‘I wish I had boxed this guy’.”
The future of the heavyweights
While Itauma right now is biding his time to step into the very big time, he knows that soon there will be a new generation of talent dominating boxing’s heavyweight division. And he knows he could be the flag bearer.
“I just, you know, I’m just taking it step by step. And, obviously, although the AJs and the Usyks and all them types of guys, they might be retiring soon, like, there’s a whole heap of heavyweights – whether it’s from the UK, whether it’s from from America, whether it’s from Australia, or wherever, New Zealand – there’s a whole heap of heavyweights. And, you know, I’m gonna be fighting them soon.”
