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Moses Itauma is a reluctant boxing star – and soon he will have no choice

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Film stars Pierce Brosnan and Tom Hiddleston, as well as rapper Skepta, were also present.

Fellow boxer Conor Benn was in attendance, fully clothed and booted, with his dad, legendary fighter Nigel, just days after appearing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, beating Chris Eubank Jr in a rematch.

But as heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma navigated the glitz, glamor and camera flashes at the GQ British Person of the Year awards in London last November, his mind was elsewhere.

The 21-year-old Itauma (13-0, 11 KO) was widely recognized for his greatness. Don’t be surprised if he wins a world title in the next 18 months. But while others his age are partying and maybe even trying to find their place in the world, Itauma, ESPN’s 2025 Teenage Player of the Year, is focused on one goal.

It’s not that he doesn’t enjoy life outside of sports, but there is one thing on his mind day and night.

“I know boxing is my number 1,” Itauma tells reporters.

“When I was at these events and stuff… Of course it’s great, it’s nice to be around up-to-date people, but I just felt an element of, ‘I need to get back to the gym.’”


THIS WILL BE A SENTIMENT will be music to the ears of trainer Ben Davison, though not necessarily promoter Frank Warren, but Itauma has seen firsthand what bad choices can do to an aspiring champion and people his age. Red carpets, long nights turning into early mornings, even conversations with James Bond himself… That will come later.

“It attracted a lot of my friends. A lot of my friends, they could have been somebody, but then they got sucked into the party life,” Itauma says.

“Even if you ask my amateur coaches, they all said I wasn’t the most talented boxer… I didn’t punch the hardest, I wasn’t the best, but I kind of had enough consistency to stick around.

“Everyone else went to parties.”

Now, as one of the hottest prospects in the sport, the invitations come hefty and quick, but Itauma proves himself quickly. He has a wise head on juvenile shoulders. The success and praise he had already received made him realize before it was too delayed what some people never do.

He remains steadfast in his approach to boxing and life, willing to forge his own path.

“I started to realize that my family became more essential… And then the ones that weren’t that many just fell away,” he explains.

“Everyone says, ‘Oh, you’ve changed’. I should, my whole life has changed. You shouldn’t stay a caterpillar.”

But bigger changes are coming. We hope that his upcoming fight with American Jermaine Franklin Jr. on March 28 in Manchester will be a real test for him, considering that Itauma has only made it through the second round twice as a professional.

Last August, he dropped Dillian Whyte in the first round before injuries and the art of boxing, namely finding opponents willing to fight him, hampered his progress. Promoter Warren, who believes he has another superstar champion on his hands, hopes his charge will be tested against Franklin before bigger fights come later this year.

“No amateur experience as a senior and [Itauma’s] he did really well,” said Warren. “He’s in Jermaine now with a real experienced campaigner, two losses under his belt against a very good Dillian Whyte and [Anthony Joshua].

“He’s come a long way with [Joshua]. Can Moses do what they couldn’t do? Jermaine likes this job, that’s why he’s here. This is an essential moment in juvenile Moses’ career, but I believe in him.”


FOR FRANKLIN THIS another opportunity he thought had passed him by. In September during the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford match, a victory over Ivan Dychko put him back in the spotlight after several uncertain years.

At one point he declared bankruptcy and had to work full-time, away from boxing, to support his family. He did not fight in 2020 and 2021 until losses to Whyte and Joshua in 2022 and 2023 respectively, when he was forced to climb the ladder again.

He admits he almost cried during his final ring walk at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Now he doesn’t take anything for granted.

“I was raised Christian, so I know a lot of us, our journeys are very different,” Franklin says.

“So my journey may not be the same journey as someone else’s. I try not to think about it too much, I don’t get jealous or frustrated because I could have taken a longer route, but I still got here.”

Franklin says that after everything he’s been through, it’s a dream come true to return as the headliner of another show in the UK.

“It could have been on the card. I’d still be just as cheerful.”

I’m cheerful to be there, but Franklin will be desperate for a win against Itauma on March 28. However, he will face Itauma, a reluctant superstar who may have no choice but to accept that he will be in the spotlight if the knockouts continue to boost.

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The former heavyweight champion admits he is not yet ready to fight Moses Itauma

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Former heavyweight champion admits he’s not ready to face Moses Itauma yet

Moses Itauma appears to have a fresh fight date set as he continues his march towards the heavyweight throne, with talk turning to who will walk through the ropes with him.

Itauma has never fought more than six rounds in his 14-fight professional career, but now he finds himself one step away from fighting for the coveted heavyweight crown. which may occur before the end of the year.

It has been reported that the 21-year-old will headline the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, July 25 in a fight that will ideally be another step forward in the competition.

Promoter Frank Warren didn’t have time to catch up with the youthful talent, claiming that many heavyweights had either rejected the fight altogether or overestimated themselves. Itauma’s future depends on strategically selecting players, increasing his exposure and attracting opponents who can bring fresh aspects to his game. There were many suggestions for good candidates, and Andy Ruiz Jr was mentioned as a hard-wearing and experienced operator by the likes of Tony Bellew.

However, when asked if he would be willing to compete in his opponent’s corner, the former unified heavyweight ruler, who shocked the world by defeating Anthony Joshua in 2019, said: Casino.org that he would like at least two fights to get rid of the rust in the ring.

“Of course I’m not backing down from any fight, but I want to be ready to fight. I want to fight at least two fights first. Then, if they put me against him, I’ll be ready and it will be a great fight.

“If you combine the Mexican fighting style, which is about moving forward and not being afraid of getting hit, with his style, I think it will be an intriguing fight. So we’ll see if he succeeds or not.”

“If I’m 100% and in shape, I don’t think there’s anyone who can beat me. But I think me and Itauma could do it. I feel like I could beat those guys (AJ and Itauma).

“Other than that, I was like Patrick Star, I was just resting under a rock while everyone else was getting beat up and taking losses and stuff like that. So I’m going to come in fresh and come in differently than before.”

The search is on for Itauma’s next foe, which will be his first headlining appearance in London.

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Amari Jones headlines May 22 vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri

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Image: Amari Jones Gets Real Test Against Gualtieri

Jones was billed as one of the company’s rising names, and the hometown headline gave him a apparent platform on DAZN. The organizers don’t randomly hand out the main events. It’s a sign that Golden Boy wants to see if Jones can move from prospect talks into rival territory. This part still needs to be proven.

Jones boasts an attractive record and clear physical tools, but his rise has come without a victory to dispel doubts. He showed strength against his chosen opponent, but astute observers were still waiting for a performance that would confirm he was more than just a well-managed, undefeated fighter.

For this reason, Gualtieri is a useful opponent. The German won the vacant IBF middleweight title in 2023 by defeating Esquiva Falcao before losing in a unification fight to Zhanibek Alimkhanuly. He has since bounced back with four straight wins and brings experience, size and composure.

It’s not the most perilous fight in the division, but that’s how Jones should be judged. If he is a solemn middleweight, as Golden Boy claims, then a former champion with a rebounding streak is the type of guy he should beat, and beat it decisively.

A close victory would keep Jones going, but it wouldn’t silence him much. A flat display would raise louder questions than a press release.

The middleweight category needs recent names. Jones now has a chance to show that he belongs.

Golden Boy has taken a sluggish approach throughout Jones’ career, but at some point you have to turn up the heat or fans will lose interest. From a promoter’s point of view, this is a protected pairing that looks like a step forward.

By pairing Jones with a former world champion, Golden Boy can claim to be fighting a world-class talent. In fact, they chose a guy who has already played at the highest level and doesn’t have the one-punch power to keep Amari from taking him to the ground.

If Amari truly is the next huge star to come out of Virgil Hunter’s gym, he should blow Gualtieri out of the water. Anything less will only confirm that it is still protected.

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Floyd Mayweather confirmed who he will fight before his rematch with Manny Pacquiao

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Floyd Mayweather confirms who he will fight before Manny Pacquiao rematch

Floyd Mayweather is officially scheduled to return to the ring this summer, ahead of his clash with Manny Pacquiao later this year.

The shocker was that earlier this year it was announced that Mayweather would end his nearly decade-long retirement and return to competition face former foe Pacquiao on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

However, doubts have been raised about the fight in recent weeks, with Mayweather claiming the fight will be an exhibition rather than a professional fight, while Pacquiao insists it will be a fully sanctioned fight.

As the confusion surrounding this fight continues, one thing is certain that Mayweather is expected to compete before his fight with Pacquiao, after he confirmed details about the June exhibition.

Mayweather was scheduled to fight both Mike Tyson and Mike Zambidis this year, and while there is no further information on Tyson’s fight, Mayweather posted on social media officially reveal the details of his fight with Zambidis.

“IT’S OFFICIAL. June 27 – Athens, Greece. History will be made. I’m stepping into the ring with Mike Zambidis. One night. One stage. An all-out fight you can’t miss.”

Zambidis is a Greek kickboxing legend who has won multiple world titles during his career in the sport, but has only competed professionally once, winning in March 2019.

The Zambidis fight gives Mayweather a chance to get busy, but most boxing fans will be keen to resolve the issues surrounding his fight with Pacquiao as the two boxing legends look to resume their rivalry since their first meeting in 2015.

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