Veteran boxing trainer Ben Davison has coached the likes of Tyson ‘The Gypsy King’ Fury and Anthony Joshua, but he’s got another ‘generational’ talent ready to make his mark.
Whilst the enormous heavyweight rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is rightly dominating the headlines, boxing fans would do well to keep an eye on 10-0 prospect, Moses Itauma.
Ben Davison says Moses Itauma has the potential to be a ‘generational’ talent
Moses Itauma might not be a name that many boxing fans will instantly recognize, but the undefeated 19-year-old is keen to change that this weekend on the Fury vs Usyk 2 undercard.
Speaking via BoxNation ahead of Itauma’s showdown with 22-1 Australian Demsey McKean, trainer Ben Davison would reveal just how high he thinks the 19-year-old’s ceiling could be.
“Whatever he [McKean] provides, it’s a step up and a development, and we learn more about Moses Itauma,” stated Davison, noting that whatever happens on Saturday night, an early KO or late-round slugfest, it’s all steps in the right direction.
“We hope that he brings some hurdles and obstacles for Moses to overcome, which would be great for his development, but if he doesn’t, it’s more great experience.”
When asked to describe the level of talent he’s seen from Moses Itauma in the training room, Davison simply stated that the 19-year-old phenom was “generational, that’s probably what I’d call it.
“If he so chooses, he has the potential to be a long, long-reigning heavyweight champion, one who’ll go down in history and leave a mark as one of the greatest heavyweights to ever make their mark on the division. Exciting times.”
Since turning professional in 2023, Itauma has scored eight big wins by KO/TKO, which Davison accredits to his movement and aggressive style.
“His mobility and coordination for a heavyweight, but it’s also very rare for a heavyweight skillset to be able to transition and correlate through the weights – like his skillset would be able to stand up in the welterweight or middleweight division, and that’s rare.
“He’s a great lad, all of them are, great family, good morals, good people, hungry for development and to learn – he’s a pleasure to coach.”
Itauma was also drafted in to help prepare Tyson Fury for fellow Southpaw Oleksandr Usyk, whilst Davison wasn’t in attendance for those sparring sessions, he “can imagine that was top quality work [as] he’s a special fighter.”
Moses Itauma reveals ‘emotionless’ mentality ahead of Riyadh Season showcase
Itauma’s ultimate dream is to break Mike Tyson’s record for the youngest heavyweight champion in history and plans to achieve that goal with an emotionless mentality – one eerily similar to that of ‘Iron Mike’.
“I’m a little bit emotionless to that side of things,” he told Boxing News, stating that “I never feel the happy sides of my life, it’s only really the angry, annoying sides.
“When I’ve won a fight, I don’t get too happy, I don’t get too excited. I guess I’m proud of myself going through the training camp and actually going through the fight – and winning the fight – but I’m not overly happy; that’s what we set out to do.
“I know that, if I don’t win that fight, I’m gonna be 50 times worse [off].”
Moses Itauma takes on Demsey McKean on the undercard of this weekend’s enormous heavyweight rematch – it all goes down live from the Kingdom Arena on December 21.