As the buzz around
Moses Itauma grows, so does the number of people calling for a meaningful test for the 20-year-old prodigy.
It became almost instantly clear that his last opponent, the once-beaten Mike Balogun, was simply no match for the kid, who dropped him once in the first round then
took him out emphatically in the second.
Balogun, the former American football professional, went the same way as 9 of Itauma's 11 previous opponents - comfortably inside the distance. In fact, all of Itauma’s stoppages to date have come in either the first or second round.
Although he has only been involved in the professional sport for a couple of years, Itauma has already
spoken openly about how frustrating the game can be, with most potential opponents simply refusing to fight him while those who are more open to the challenge ask for frankly impossible money.
Dillian Whyte, meanwhile, did neither of those things and will now provide Itauma with the test that he needs. If Itauma can wrap things up, as he normally does, inside six minutes, then a statement will have been made. Beyond that, there are a number of questions he still needs to answer; what happens when he gets hit flush on the chin? How will he cope in the later rounds? How will he handle a crisis? How will he handle frustration?
Whyte could be the man to extract the answers, or he could be the next victim. They clash on August 16 in Riyadh
live on DAZN per-per-view.
Odds: Itauma is an overwhelming favourite to win the fight, with most UK bookmakers offering around 1/10 with some as high as 1/14. Best price on the market is 1/7.
How does Itauma win? Although he is highly experienced and by far the biggest puncher Itauma has encountered, there is no question that at 37 years old, Whyte’s best days are behind him. The onus is on Itauma to throw in combinations with his usual speed in the hope of bamboozling Whyte before exiting unscathed.
Last September, the ever-durable
Mariusz Wach was brought in to provide Itauma with some rounds but the Slovakia-born ace was miles too fast for him.
He threw in bunches of threes, fours and fives, switching attack from body to head and, while Itauma is not the biggest one-punch guy in the division, Wach simply could not handle the pace and output. He was, of course, knocked out in the second.
Whyte has shown durability in his career before but has also been knocked out by
Anthony Joshua, Alexander Povetkin and
Tyson Fury so if Itauma can catch him in a blizzard he can secure another early finish.
What it means if Itauma wins: This is that step-up fight that many people have been calling for given how easily the youngster has surged past his previous opponents. And, although beating Whyte does not mean he is instantly capable of winning a world title fight, it will show us exactly how he goes about his business against a man who has operated at the very highest level.
Itauma is
already No.1 with the WBO, just behind interim champion
Joseph Parker, so a win will further cement his position as one of the leading contenders.
And, should undisputed champion
Oleksandr Usyk decide to relinquish his title instead of facing Parker, then Itauma would almost certainly fight for the vacant belt in his next outing.
What they’re saying: "It's a big step-up for Moses because he hasn't really fought anyone on Dillian's level, though the old Dillian was a couple of years ago. Maybe it's too early, maybe he passes with flying colours. And that's why you've got to watch it and find out.
One thing I will say about Moses, he's a good fighter, he's a good boxer. He's like a sponge, you tell him something and he absorbs it, he listens.” - Two-time world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
TV/Stream: Moses Itauma vs. Dillian Whyte and the whole Esports World Cup Fight Week fight card will be available to stream live on DAZN PPV. The event is priced at £19.99 in the United Kingdom, $19.99 in the United States, €19.99 in Europe and $39.99 in Australia.