Moses Itauma added fuel to the fire of the Mike Tyson comparisons with a wicked knockout on Saturday.
Undefeated heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma moved one step closer to earning a major heavyweight title shot with another jaw-dropping knockout.
Itauma and former college football linebacker Mike Balogun squared off on the undercard of the Ekow Essuman vs. Josh Taylor event on Saturday in Glasgow. It marked Itauma’s return to the ring since a vicious knockout of Demsey McKean last December on the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 card.
Itauma has had issues finding willing opponents during his young heavyweight career. While Balogun entered the ring with almost twice the experience as Itauma, it was the 20-year-old phenom who played the role of matador inside the ring.
Moses Itauma drops Mike Balogun twice in two rounds for brutal knockout finish
Itauma needed minutes to send Balogun collapsing face-first to the canvas in the first round. After Balogun survived the opening round, it didn’t take long for Itauma to push the pace in Round 2.
Itauma showcased his evolution with beautifully-executed feints and pressure that left Balogun bewildered as the second round began. As Itauma pressured Balogun against the ropes midway through the round, Itauma closed the show with a right hook to Balogun’s chin that left him unconscious in the center of the ring.
Itauma’s victory was the 10th by knockout in his young career as he advanced to an undefeated 12-0 record. After his win, calls for Itauma to face a step up in competition began almost immediately, especially after a star heavyweight boxing champion entertained a potential clash in recent months.
Watch Itauma’s knockout finish below.
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Heavyweight titleholder open to fighting Moses Itauma next
Daniel Dubois, who will face Oleksandr Usyk on July 19th for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Dubois returns after knocking out Anthony Joshua last year, and he was supposed to return against Joseph Parker in February before withdrawing due to illness.
It’s a great time for British heavyweight boxing. Top fighters such as Itauma, Dubois, and Joshua are leading the way in the division.
Itauma envisioned breaking Mike Tyson’s record of youngest heavyweight boxing champion before delayed bookings eliminated him from contending for the mark. Despite this, Itauma is in line for some big-name fights coming up, and his next booking will go a long way in determining his title shot path.
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