Boxing
“What’s There to Eat?” “Nothing and No Money”: Hunger Drives Moses Itaum’s Growth
Published
5 months agoon
When Moses Itauma comes to Paris to watch the Olympics, he will do so with the conviction that he made the right decision to turn professional at the age of 18.
Coming off a weekend in which Jared Anderson suffered a knockout loss to Martin Bakole that arguably cemented his place as the most promising youthful heavyweight in the world, and a week after Delicious Orie dropped out of the Games in a controversial loss, Itauma will likely be more aware than ever of how brittle a fighter’s life is.
The fact that he trains with Anthony Joshua at Ben Davison’s gym in Essex may have made him reflect on the glory and rewards of becoming an Olympic champion. Winning gold in London 2012 meant the endlessly attractive Joshua was given the most privileged platform on which to build a lucrative and successful career, and his transformation from troubled teenager arrested for possession of marijuana and intent to supply to world heavyweight champion remains one of the most celebrated.
Itauma – perhaps ironically, given he is 19 and Joshua entered the London Games aged 22 – nevertheless did not believe time was a luxury for him. He revealed for the first time that suggestions that he had been told he would not be selected to compete in Paris were wrong. Instead, it was the need to support his poor family – literally, to lend a hand put food on the table – that meant he felt he had no choice but to turn professional.
His recent and impressive stoppage of the strong Mariusz Wach has bolstered his reputation with the wider public and proved to be the biggest statement of his 10-fight professional career, but it was something the relaxed, maturing heavyweight took in stride. Providing comfort to his family and having the freedom to travel independently to the Games ultimately means much more.
“There were times when my brother and I would ask each other, ‘What are we having for dinner tonight?’” Itauma explains. “‘Oh, I think we’ll just go to bed.’ That’s what we had for dinner—we had a dream for dinner.
“It was when I was about 16 or 17 – just two or three years ago. I swear. We laughed about it at the time, but it’s only now that I realize we didn’t really have anything. Everything was going so well. My mom and dad were together; [brother and professional light heavyweight] Karol worked, everything went according to plan. But then my father died and my mother couldn’t afford three large kids.
“Me and Samuel, my middle brother, we would laugh about it. I’d say, ‘Samuel, what’s there to eat?’ And he’d say, ‘Nothing and we’ve got no money,’ so I’d say, ‘OK, what are we going to do?’ And he’d say, ‘Well, I guess we’ll go to bed.’ Sometimes we’d go to a friend’s house and hope they’d cook something for us. That gave me extra motivation to work harder.
“Those were crazy times. I weighed about 250 pounds when I was 15 or 16, and then when Samuel and I had to move out, I would lose a pound or two every time I went to training. My coach would ask, ‘Why are you losing so much weight?’ And I would just tell him I didn’t have money for food. That’s just how it was. – it wasn’t intentional.
“I just lost weight. I lost about 25 kg and then my trainer Dan Woledge became my sponsor and then [my promoter] Frank Warren also stepped in to sponsor me.
Itauma turned pro under Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, and in January 2023, in the pre-fight fight following Artur Beterbiev’s knockout of Anthony Yarde, he needed just 23 seconds to stop Marcel Bode – despite the fact that his brother Karol had just lost for the first time.
Although Warren’s son Francis is Itaum’s manager, the pattern of Itaum’s career so far is the same as that of many others under the promoter’s guidance. Yarde, Daniel Dubois and Hamzah Sheeraz have all made admirable strides as professionals, thanks largely to their natural talent, but Warren insists that proper professional experience is a better path than that offered by the Olympics – the pinnacle of some of the world’s most iconic competitors – contributing to Itaum’s claim that he watched what unfolded in Paris without a single sense of regret.
“Rob McCracken himself told me that if I had stayed an amateur, I would have gone to the Games,” he says. “I paired up with Delicious and did what I wanted to do. I could have gone.
“I was very tempted, but external factors – my family kind of needed me to become a professional. I didn’t come from a privileged background, you know what I mean? I became a professional – I’m not saying I did it because of that – but I just didn’t have a choice.
“I would never regret it. Never. I boxed in Saudi Arabia; I was at dinner with all the greatest heavyweights; lightweights. I was in the same room as Mike Tyson; Manny Pacquiao; Shannon Briggs. I was there with all the greats and I was like, ‘My life is so blessed.’ In my mind I was like, ‘I could go to the Olympics and this would always be there,’ but no, it all came at the perfect time. I definitely don’t regret it. No way.
“It’s a step closer to being at the top. Why would I wait four or five years when I can have it next year? I don’t regret it. I feel like I’m in the best game in the world. At first I felt like I had to do it; [since] He said it many times, “I can do it; I have the opportunity to do it.”
“There are so many fighters in the world who want to do this as a job but can’t. Or fighters who like boxing and have to build bricks after hours or something like that. I’m in a privileged position where I don’t have to do that. I have nothing to complain about. I feel like I’m living the dream. Sometimes I look at myself, and when I’m in Saudi Arabia and I look at the room they’ve prepared for me, I think… the food I’m eating.
“When I was training in Saudi Arabia, I looked at Fury; I looked at Kevin Lerena; all of those. I looked at the villa we were in and I thought, ‘No, this is bogus.’ Two years ago I was struggling. Me and my brother were having mayonnaise and rice for dinner – you know what I mean? Now I was in Saudi Arabia with the biggest weightlifters, eating large steaks; living in a nice house; a nice apartment. It seemed unreal.
“[The sense of pressure to provide for my family is] why I didn’t enjoy it at first. And then, when all the pieces started coming together – that’s when I realized what sport I was doing. Now I love it.
“Just being comfortable and not worrying about money. That’s it. I don’t need 50 cars or private jets; I just want to be comfortable. I don’t want anyone around me to be stressed out.
“I thought Delicious would go further. He’s the European champion, so I thought he would go further. But maybe winning is not a good thing, because if you wake up thinking you’re a winner, you go to bed a loser. You have to have the mentality of a loser every morning.
“Maybe him winning the European gold meant he thought he was a winner, so he could take his foot off the gas. Maybe that cost him the Olympic medal. Maybe that – I don’t know his mentality.
“I’m there to watch the athletes. The runners and boxers have trained their whole lives, so I want to go there and support them. Athletics; men’s and women’s 52 and 92 finals [in boxing].”
Itauma – originally from Chatham, Kent – has already bought two homes in just over 18 months since he was first paid for the fight.
The potential loss of Anderson as a future opponent – for all his skill, Anderson, more than anything let down by naive matchmaking when he was stopped by Bakole on Saturday, lacks Itauma’s conviction – makes the continued presence of Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov in Paris a subject of growing interest, regardless of Itauma’s desire to fight for a title after a compact layoff.
“I think Jalolov [will win gold] but it’s not fair – Itauma says. – He has 12-0 [he’s actually 14-0] as a professional; he’s 30 years aged; he’s already had two Olympic cycles; it’s a bit unfair, isn’t it?
“But I know that in Uzbekistan, winning Olympic gold is better than winning the world title, so if you can, you can do it. Australian heavyweight [Teremoana Junior, who lost to Jalolov] looks good too.
“In two [professional] fights I went the whole distance I was disappointed with myself because I could have done more. Even though I say I’m disappointed with these fights, I’m actually elated with my career. I’ve been in it for a year and a half; I’ve had 10 fights. I’m eighth in the WBO rankings; I’m in a good position now. I really can’t ask for more.
“I want this to be my next fight or the fight after this” [when I compete for a title]When I became a professional, I said I wanted to break Mike Tyson’s record [of being the youngest world heavyweight champion at the age of 20] -it’s only because I shared the ring with all the guys in the world [in sparring]. I’m doing fine.
“Sometimes I’d go into that fight and do better. In my mind I’d think, ‘Why are you holding me back? I’m as good as they come.'”
“Of course I’m in the ring, the atmosphere; the miniature gloves; even the referee. In amateur boxing they’re very strict, in every way; in professional boxing you can give them a little elbow; you can headbutt; you can get away with it. You can look at the referee and he’ll say, ‘Don’t look at me.’ There are a lot of differences, but I feel like skill-wise I’m ready.
“My time will come.”
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Boxing
LIVE: Usyk vs Fury 2 match results from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Published
1 day agoon
December 21, 2024World Boxing News brings you live results from the Usyk vs Fury 2 event with the unified heavyweight title at stake in Saudi Arabia.
Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC, WBO and WBA belts as the Ukrainian fights for back-to-back wins over Tyson Fury. Fury was almost knocked out by Usyk in May and will seek revenge at the Kingdom Arena.
WBN will also score the main event based on a live scorecard from the first to the last bell.
Live scores of the Usyk-Fury match
Andriy Nowicki defeated Edgar Ramirez by unanimous decision. The score was 100-90 and 98-92 twice, and the Ukrainian moved to 14-0, 10 KOs.
Joshua Ocampo lost in the preliminary fight Muhammad Alakel who scored a unanimous decision to enhance it to 2-0.
Other attacks
MAIN EVENT: WBC WORLD, WBO WORLD, WBA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE – 12 ROUNDS
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury
Shypyntsi, Ukraine Lancashire, UK
22-0 (14 KOs) 34-1-1 (24 KOs)
226 lbs 281 lbs
CO-MAIN EVENT: HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT (over 201 pounds) – 10 ROUNDS
Moses Itauma vs. Demsey McKean
Kent, UK, Queensland, Australia
22-0 (10 KOs) 22-1 (14 KOs)
249.1 lbs 251.1 lbs
Airy middleweight fight (154 pounds) – 12 rounds
Serhii Bohachuk vs. Ishmael Davis
Vinnytsia, Ukraine, Yorkshire, UK
24-2 (23 KOs) 13-1 (6 KOs)
153.1 lbs 153.6 lbs
Heavyweight fight (201+ pounds) – 10 rounds
Johnny Fisher vs. David Allen
London, UK Yorkshire, UK
12-0 (11 KOs) 23-6, 18 KOs
241.1 lbs 257.6 lbs
INTERNATIONAL SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT COMPETITION – 10 ROUNDS
Peter McGrail vs. Rhys Edwards
10-1 (6 KOs) / 16-0 (4 KOs)
Liverpool, UK / Merseyside, UK
129.8 lbs / 129.1 lbs
Fight for the WBA CONTINENTAL USA featherweight title (130 pounds) – 10 ROUNDS
Isaac Lowe vs. Lee McGregor
Lancashire, UK Edinburgh, Scotland
25-2-3 (8 KOs) 14-1-1 (11 KOs)
125.1 lbs 125.9 lbs
WBA CONTINENTAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS – 10 ROUNDS
Dylan Colin Vs. Daniel Łapina
Meurthe-et-Moselle, France / Wrocław, Poland
14-0 (4 KOs) / 10-0 (4 KOs)
Information about the Usyk vs Fury match on TV and PPV
Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch with Tyson Fury and the full undercard are available exclusively at DAZN Pay-Per-View (PPV) events worldwide. They cost £24.99 in the UK and $39.95 in the US and no DAZN subscription is required.
The PPV also includes a seven-day free trial of the entire DAZN platform. Usyk vs. Fury and all DAZN content can be watched anywhere, on any device via the DAZN app.
For more information and to purchase the fight, visit www.dazn.com.
Boxing
Tyson Fury vows: “I’m going to destroy this motherfucker!”
Published
2 days agoon
December 20, 2024Tyson Fury isn’t holding back on his desire for revenge against Oleksandr Usyk as the pair collided on Saturday night.
Fury aims to win the unified heavyweight title for the first time in nine years when he faces current champion Usyk six months after his first loss to the Ukrainian.
As the pair completed media formalities for the superfight, Fury made it clear how the fight would end.
“For the record, I’m going to absolutely annihilate this motherfucker on Saturday night. No pension. I will neat them all and he will be the first,” Fury assured.
Asked if he would try to do to Usyk what he did to Deontay Wilder in the rematch, Fury replied: “It was a long time ago” in reference to the 2020 knockout.
“[I’m] I’m not sure [if that Tyson Fury is there anymore]. Perhaps it has evaporated. Who knows? The legs may disappear. China may no longer exist. Boxing skills can be shot. We’ll find out on the 21st. That’s why you need to tune in to the pay-per-view on DAZN. Come and see whether the venerable dance master still understands it or not.
Referring to the training camp in Malta, Fury added: “[The] The weather is different, of course, but training is training, no matter where you are. These are very mundane, routine things. This happens again and again.
“For me, it doesn’t really matter where the camp is. I’ve attended camps in Vegas, Spain, everywhere, and I’m one of those people who doesn’t get distracted and gets the job done anyway. That’s what I do.
“If I were to train in a nightclub, I wouldn’t dance around the disco in the evening. I would just train.
Information about the Usyk vs Fury match
Former interim WBC 154-pound titleholder Serhii Bohachuk [24-2, 23 KOs] Now he will face British boxer Ishmael Davis [13-1, 6 KOs] in a 12-round super welterweight fight after Israil Madrimov was forced to withdraw due to illness.
Rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma [22-0, 10 KOs] and his opponent, Australian Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KO), are ready to fight. Undefeated Johnny Fisher [12-0, 11 KOs[ squares off against former Commonwealth title challenger Dave Allen [23-6, 18 KOs].
Meanwhile, former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Peter McGrail [10-1, 6 KOs] takes over from Rhys Edwards at the last minute [16-0, 4 KOs] in a super featherweight fight. Isaac Lowe is also on the bill [25-2-3, 8 KOs[ will face Lee McGregor [14-1-1, 11 KOs] in a featherweight fight.
Daniel Lapin completes the card [10-0, 4 KOs]in which he will face another undefeated lightweight champion prospect, Dylan Colin [14-0, 4 KOs]and heavyweight knockout artist Andrii Novytskyi [14-0, 10 KOs] will face Edgar Ramirez [10-1-1, 4 KOs].
As is the tradition of the season, Riyad will feature local talent as Mohammed Alakel looks for a 2-0 win over Joshua Ocampo [8-33-5, 6 KOs].
Broadcast of the Usyk vs Fury match this Saturday on DAZN PPV.
Boxing
Brooklyn heavyweight Pryce Taylor is looking forward to 2025
Published
4 days agoon
December 18, 2024Fighting for the first time with the full support of his promoter, Salita Promotions, undefeated Brooklyn heavyweight Pryce Taylor later said he was confident and confident he could do well in boxing.
Taylor (5-0, 3 KO), 28, defeated KeShawn Jackson last Thursday night in Flint, Michigan, fighting in an exhibition put on by his promoter in which he recorded an impressive third-round stoppage to finish his 2024 campaign on a high. year note.
“It was good to fight on a bigger stage, in a compact arena, in a nice atmosphere,” Taylor said about his first fight with a promotional contract. “My manager, Keith Sullivan, supported me by agreeing to sign with Salita Promotions. He talked to several promoters, but we felt that Dimitri Salita would be the right candidate for me.
“I felt like I had succeeded; I felt essential, but that was just the beginning. It was the same on fight night, I felt respect and appreciation from the entire Salita promotional company. My goal is to be a more recognizable player and be recognized by the fans. I’m hungry to perform in the coming year.”
“Four knockdowns were counted. I really hurt him with a body shot and when he felt my power he was done. I threw a barrage of punches into the corner (ss photo below) and he tried to hit me with a windmill punch. Then I hit him with a check hook, which ended the fight. He (Jackson) didn’t want to get knocked out, so he tried to show he was still fighting.”
“Of course,” Sullivan commented, “I’m joyful with the victory. This was another developmental fight and Pryce is learning and developing as a fighter. We had a busy year with 8 fights scheduled and 5 that actually crossed the line, so it was a very good first year for him as a pro. Right after that, I talked to Dimitri to arrange the next fight. We hope to have it scheduled in the coming weeks.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Taylor wants his next fight to be a six-rounder scheduled for his next outing, then move up to eight to fight for the junior title.
“I will now train to play 10 rounds,” Taylor concluded, “so that I will be ready when it comes time to play 12 rounds.”
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