If you scroll back far enough through Moses Itauma’s DMs you will find a message to Dillian Whyte asking if he was available for sparring. It was never read.

The opportunity to tangle with the puncher from Jamaica would have represented a full-circle moment given it was Whyte's fight against Anthony Joshua for the British heavyweight title which helped spark 10-year-old from Chatham's interest in boxing to begin with.

“Fun fact,” Itauma says. “That fight, Joshua against Whyte, was the first fight I ever watched where I knew who both the opponents were.

“I remember watching it on TV and there was this certain feeling of respect, and even though Dillian got knocked out he put on a great account of himself. They gained my respect, and even though I was only 10 — who cares about my respect? — I can respect what they did.

“So then I think when it came to choosing my own sport I wanted to do something where I feel respected and I think boxing is that.

“Joshua-Whyte was 2015, nearly 10 years ago, so I would have only been 10. And now I’m boxing Dillian Whyte. Do you get what I mean? I’m living the dream.”

That moment comes Saturday at ANB Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the first headline fight of Itauma’s fledgling career. A victory could well set up a world title attempt in his very next outing. He never got the chance to spar Whyte, but now he will fight him for real.

“What people don't realise is that boxing Dillian White is a big deal,” Itauma adds. “People don't realise I'm boxing Dillian Whyte at 20 years old. That's a huge deal and people are not giving me credit for that but I guess I'm not here for a pat on the back.

“It doesn’t feel surreal because if you saw the way I train, I’ve definitely done my fair share in the game. I feel like I’ve put myself in this position so I don’t think it feels surreal, not yet anyway.

“But it’s a bit weird because this is the first fight I’ve ever had where I follow the guy I’m about to box on Instagram. It’s weird and I was thinking about unfollowing him, but that’s childish. I respect Dillian and I don’t have a problem with him. It’s weird seeing his stuff when I’m about to punch his head in.”

On Thursday in Riyadh, the pair shared the stage for the first time at the final press conference. Both were respectful but they did exchange words when they posed for the first head-to-head photograph of the promotion.

Whyte advised Itauma to drop what he described as "the tough-guy act."

“That’s not you, bro,” he said.

He is, let’s not forget, 17 years his opponent’s senior and has a son older than Itauma.

In fact, Itauma is so young that he will slot in between Mike Tyson and Floyd Patterson as history’s second youngest world heavyweight champion should he achieve the feat before October next year. An achievement that, at this point, seems very reasonable.

“I saw the list of the youngest world heavyweight champions,” he said. “Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman. … I believe I can become world heavyweight champion and I can be in, around and in the mix with those great names but, first, Dillian Whyte.”

And, although Whyte has been his primary focus since this fight was announced earlier in the summer, Itauma has heard the suggestions that he might be the only one capable of beating Oleksandr Usyk.

When asked whether he could become world heavyweight champion this year, his reply was a sharp "no comment." Asked more specifically about Usyk, Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) was cautious with his praise.

“I have to take my hat off to him,” he said. “Very good fighter, probably the best heavyweight for a long time, but I wouldn’t say I admire him. I don’t really like to admire any boxer because I feel like once you put them on a pedestal you might get a little starstruck.

“I’m at a time when I’m boxing Dillian Whyte at 20 years old. Imagine if I see him as the same guy that I used to watch when I was 10 years old and now I’m in the ring with him. I don’t have time for that, I need to be locked in, focused and do my thing. I have a lot of respect for Usyk but he’s had his career and I’m on my career.

“I'm not really paying attention to that kind of stuff. If it one day happens, it happens. If it don't, it don't. I believe in the future I will be the undisputed heavyweight champion. People say I'm ready, people might say I'm not ready.

“I know what I am capable of, I just need to go out and show the world.”