British heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma feels like he is already the best in the world, but admits there is one thing he still needs to be the finished article.
The incredibly talented 20-year-old from Chatham, Kent is seen by many as the future of boxing’s marquee weight class – including his Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren.
His sensational ability has boxing experts drooling over what is to come, and already his highlight reel is sensational with an 11-0 pro record dominated by 9 wins inside the first 2 rounds.
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His latest victory – a one-round demolition job on the tough Aussie Demsey McKean in Saudi Arabia last December – was chilling and brilliant in equal measures. Incredible speed and accuracy allied to devastating power.
Next up Moses will face former NFL star Mike Balogun on the Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman undercard in Glasgow on May 24 (live on DAZN), but he’s already comfortable talking about challenges much bigger than that. Including the best heavyweight on the planet right now – Oleksandr Usyk.
The 38-year-old superstar (23-0) has won it all, unifying the titles at both cruiserweight and heavyweight. But Itauma already believes he has more to offer than the current lineal champion everywhere except in one crucial area.
Is Itauma better than Usyk?
He told talkSPORT: “If you want my honest opinion, think if like my skillset, if you’re talking about my ring IQ and what I display in the ring, I feel like I am the best in the world but I haven’t displayed it in the later rounds.
“That’s what I kinda want to get ticked off. My next opponents this year, we’re looking at fights that get me into those later rounds, because I feel with Usyk I feel like I’ve got a better skillset than him, but I feel like towards the later rounds he’ll just outdo because I’ve never been in that sort of fight. So this year is about getting me rounds.”
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Usyk of course will rematch Daniel Dubois with all of the heavyweight titles on the line at Wembley Stadium on July 19, so there is no chance of an imminent world title shot for Itauma in 2025. ‘Enriko’ is just happy to fight whoever is put in front of him. Literally anybody.
“My job is to get in the ring and fight whoever they put in front of me. Even if they said ‘tomorrow you’re fighting King Kong’, I’d be like ‘no problem'”, he revealed.
Moses has no time for hype
The hype around Moses is incredible – I probably wouldn’t be sat here right now, writing this piece, if it wasn’t. His talent is so big that it demands attention and coverage. The possibilities are mouthwatering and every time he steps into a boxing ring it is must-see TV.
Itauma though is level-headed and all business, he has little time for the hype and rhetoric. In fact it’s not something he enjoys.
He reasoned: “Personally I don’t pay attention to it and I don’t really care. But at the same time I don’t like it, only because let’s say I’ve got an opponent and everyone expects me to knock him out, it’s like you’re going to be judged by that standard.
“People’s expectations of me is not gonna help me in the ring so I guess it’s kinda entertainment, and I’ve got to deliver.”
Every young fighter needs a good team around him, and Itauma has a stellar cast – headed by promoter Frank Warren, a man who knows a thing or two about building world champions.
“We’ve got a solid team. It’s in the partnership with the management, promoter, coach and obviously my family,” said Itauma.
“So I do trust them, and it’s obviously like with boxing, it’s like everything’s in your own hands.”
