Moses Itauma, the heavyweight prospect bursting out of Chatham, produced the most eye-catching performance of the evening. With this spectacular victory, he improved his perfect professional record to 13 fights! In a much-anticipated clash, Itauma faced former World Title challenger Dillian Whyte. He displayed his awesome talent and punching ability, knocking Whyte flat to the floor in less than two minutes of round one.
As a 20-year-old, Itauma faced different challenges. To his credit, he stood like a champion in the ring while Whyte’s walk-in was unnecessarily stalled. He took advantage of the opportunity the first instant the bell rang to begin the dog fight. Itauma came out on the front foot early. He probed Whyte with a flurry of quick jabs up top, setting the pace for the fight. His precise, punch-picking combinations soon had Whyte reeling back into the ropes, exemplifying the Portsmouth puncher’s swarming style and ring IQ.
Under pressure, Itauma threw a looping right hook that had Whyte stumbling and wobbly-legged. The perfect counter punch resulted in an absolute nuclear KO. The impact was so significant that it left Whyte unable to continue, marking a remarkable victory for the Slovakian-born boxer.
“That’s what I’ve been drilling for 12, 13 weeks,” said Moses Itauma on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.
Itauma’s victory today marks yet another milestone win on his record. It begs the question of what’s next. To him, it was an unimaginable thrill to even be in the ring with distinguished foes Agit Kabayel and Joseph Parker. Even as he booked his ticket to a world title shot with Oleksandr Usyk, he remained modest.
“I put on a performance for you guys, so it’s now who’s next? I don’t want to call out Usyk because I don’t believe I deserve the opportunity – but guys that do deserve the opportunity, I want to fight those lot. So maybe Agit Kabayel, maybe Joseph Parker. Maybe them type of names,” Itauma stated after his victory.
For Dillian Whyte, it was acceptance of defeat and a look towards what’s next for his career.
“As of right now, I am going to rest and then maybe be back in the gym,” he commented post-fight.
The bout showcased Itauma’s slick skills and movement, hinting at his future as a legitimate force in the heavyweight ranks. With his impressive performance against Whyte, he has certainly made a name for himself, leaving fans eager to see what comes next in his promising career. As a result, he’s very much in training – learning forging techniques and honing his craft. One thing is for sure, the boxing world will be watching this young prodigy very closely.