Moses Itauma is preparing for a ‘hunt or be hunted’ bout against ‘The Bodysnatcher’ Dillian Whyte, whose level of experience could prove to be a banana skin in the career of the young phenom.
In his thirteenth pro fight, Moses Itauma will take on a former interim world title holder, and a man who holds wins over Joseph Parker – the current WBO interim champion – and Derek Chisora – the IBF mandatory challenger.
Dillian Whyte is looking for a seat at the big table once again, and sees a win over the 20-year-old prospect as the best way to get there.
This fight could see questions asked of the rising star that he has never been posed before, though it seems no matter what he does, he will never be a great.
‘The best chins are the ones that don’t get tested’ – Moses Itauma blasts critics
Ahead of the fight, many have suggested that Whyte, who has been sparring Mike Perez during camp, may finally allow us to see how Itauma fights when he’s hurt, when he has to dig deep, and give us a real indication of the chin he possesses.
The young man from Kent doesn’t take too kindly to suggestions that his chin must be tested for him to be seen as a great fighter.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Itauma said: “[My chin] is not tested, yeah, I agree. But the best chins are the ones that don’t get tested.
“I don’t really understand this new concept in boxing where you kind of need to get hit on the chin to see if you’re a good boxer. I’ve never understood that. Obviously, the aim of boxing is to hit and not get hit. Why am I getting the blame because I don’t get hit?”
Itauma, who could face Parker next, concluded: “If I go my whole career, and I don’t get punched one time, people will say ‘He can’t ever be a great because he didn’t get hit’.”
Moses Itauma and Dillian Whyte have one common opponent
With August 16th inching ever closer, fans are grasping at anything they can to indicate how it might go.
Besides recent form and physique, the only other way to compare both men is to look at common opponents, of which there is just one – Mariusz Wach.
In 2019, Whyte faced 35-5 Wach, who had gone the distance with Wladimir Klitschko, and was stopped by Jarrell Miller and Martin Bakole.
At 271 pounds, the Brit was unable to live up to his nickname, as he labored to a points win over Wach instead of a highlight reel knockout. Five years later, Itauma stopped Wach in two rounds, far quicker than anyone else had before.
Wach had won just three out of seven fights between facing Whyte and Itauma, and likely was not the same man in the latter battle. That said, Itauma’s ability to put away a durable veteran in just two rounds in his 10th fight could speak volumes to what might happen on the 16th.