The stories about Moses Itauma’s incredible boxing talents may well go down in boxing folklore one day – they are already spreading far and wide.
The 20-year-old prodigy from Chatham in Kent is widely viewed as the future of the heavyweight division and the heir apparent when the likes of Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are no longer around.
Itauma is already 12-0 as a pro and ranked #1 by the World Boxing Organization as he prepares for the first big test of his career – a blockbuster August 16 matchup vs former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in Riyadh.
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But Itauma was leaving hardened experts drooling years ago, right back to his school days. This according to top boxing agent Sam Jones.
Jones joined Gareth A Davies on talkSPORT to discuss all things Itauma, and he revealed one incredible tale of the schoolboy Moses rocking up at a gym and easily sparring a prime Joe Joyce. Remember, this is the Joe Joyce who struck fear into the heavyweight division for so long.
Sam Jones on Itauma
He said: “I first saw Moses Itauma when he came with a school bag on. I think he was 15 or 16, sparred Joe Joyce at Stallard’s Boxing Gym in London. He took his school uniform, he had his school jacket on and his schoolbag – took it off. I was just like, hold on, I was thinking, what’s happening here? Like, this isn’t right.”
Any doubts or fears Jones had about what was taking place, did not last long. It was instantly clear that the very young Itauma belonged with the best.
“He got in there, and I was like, hold on a minute, what’s he doing here? Like, there was three sparring partners in there. And I looked at him straight away, I was like, this kid is fantastic. He was just short of sixteen years old. Listen. Joe’s, Joe’s a big strong man. But Moses Itauma, you just looked at him and just thought, this kid is going to be fantastic.”
Asked if Itauma was relishing what might have terrified most 15-year-olds, Jones had absolutely no doubt.
Moses has ‘ultimate self-belief’
“Yeah. No, no fear. No, no fear whatsoever. Like, usually you’d think it’s a bit daunting coming in. There’s three heavyweights, like there was, there was, there’s a few heavyweights – Olympic silver medalist, and this is Joe when he was at his prime as well. Beast. And he just got in, and he got no problems. Moses Itauma, he’s done, he’s ticked every box so far. And all we can do is, is, is see this kid is fantastic.”
Now Itauma is a fully fledged professional fighter, one that many expect (not hope) will ascend to becoming a world heavyweight champion one day. With that mix of devastating speed, power and ring IQ, he is box office.
“He’s just got ultimate self-belief. And this is what we wanna see. Like when Naseem Hamed came onto [the scene]. I like seeing that type. I like seeing someone that could sell, that could put bums in, in seats. And I look at Moses Itauma and I think with the crop of heavyweights – Fabio Wardley, Daniel Dubois – these boys are gonna be the, our top boys in the heavyweight division in years to come.”
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