HEAVYWEIGHT contender Moses Itauma looks set to make his debut in Scotland on May 24.
The 20-year-old appeared to be heading for an undercard slot on Queensberry Promotions’ Heavy Impact event headlined by Joe Joyce against Filip Hrgovic in Manchester on April 5.
The Ring understands that the 21-0 (19) Albanian Nelson Hysa was in the running to face Itauma at the Co-op Live Arena that night but there has now been a change of plans.
Instead Itauma, who is 11-0 (9) and considered perhaps the hottest prospect in world boxing, will head north to Scotland to box at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.
At the top of the bill, Josh Taylor returns to the ring for the first time in a year following his defeat to Jack Catterall, when he faces former British and Commonwealth champion Ekow Essuman.
Now Queensberry are finalising an opponent for Itauma, although it is unlikely that Hysa will get the nod.
Itauma's last outing was his blistering 117-second dispatch of Demsey McKean in Riyadh on December 21. That win increased his knockout streak to seven in a row, with five coming inside a round and the other two coming in the second.
“We were looking to get him out on April 5 but that hasn’t happened,” promoter Frank Warren told The Ring.
“Now it is looking like Scotland for him and we are looking to announce that next week. It will be a good chance to take him up there for the first time so he can show everyone what he can do. We are looking at options for an opponent now.”
In the absence of Itauma, and the now-cancelled heavyweight clash between Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakporhe, Queensberry have also confirmed the addition of rising star Royston Barney-Smith to the undercard, while Jack Rafferty and Cory O’Regan will also meet for the Commonwealth super-lightweight title.