-
Nick Parkinson
Moses Itauma, widely tipped as a future world heavyweight champion, comfortably added the biggest name to his unbeaten record when he blasted away Dillian Whyte in Round 1 on Saturday.
The 20-year-old English boxer claimed his eighth first-round victim after finishing a wobbly Whyte with a right hook in 119 seconds of a nontitle heavyweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“What’s next?” Itauma said.
“I will fight anyone you put in front of me. If I’m honest, Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel do deserve a Moses Itauma claims devastating Round 1 KO of Dillian Whyte shot, but chuck me in with any of that lot. I’m ranked No. 1 with the WBO, and Parker is also up there, so maybe that can happen.
“I’m only 20-year-old so I have got 10 or 15 years left. If I get the opportunity [to fight for a world title], 100 percent I will [be world champion].”
Whyte, who was stopped in Round 6 by Tyson Fury for the WBC world title in April 2022, was Itauma’s most experienced opponent to date — but ​Itauma made light work of him.
This was Itauma’s biggest step up yet in his quest to become the latest English world heavyweight champion following recent reigns of Anthony Joshua, Fury and Daniel Dubois.
And Itauma made it look so easy.
Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) is ahead of the progress of those three at the same age, but a title shot is still some way off, as Oleksandr Usyk holds all four world belts, and his next two opponents are expected to be Parker and possibly Fury.
Whyte (31-4, 21 KOs), 37, who moved to Brixton in London from Jamaica in childhood, has lost a bit of momentum in recent years but is still a dangerous puncher who has wins over the likes of Parker (2018) and Alexander Povetkin (2020).
The 6-foot-4 southpaw Itauma, who was born in Slovakia but moved to Kent, England, as a young child, showed quick hands, smooth footwork and concussive power as he swept aside Whyte.
Whyte kept Itauma waiting in the ring before he made his entrance, but Itauma didn’t waste any time in getting his jab working in Round 1.
It was a matter of seconds before Itauma started landing power shots, and after he hurt Whyte with a left hook to the temple, he followed up with a barrage of shots to the head and body. Whyte was on unsteady legs and the end seemed inevitable. It quickly arrived when Itauma sent Whyte falling sideways into the ropes with a right hook to the temple.
It was another quick showing from Itauma, arguably the most exciting heavyweight around, as he charges toward a world title shot.