Five opponents Moses Itauma could potentially face next.
Moses Itauma is currently one of the hottest commodities in all of boxing. The 21-year-old heavyweight from Chatham has the world of pugilism buzzing with excitement, and it’s easy to see why.
Great fundamentals, lightning-fast hands, and dynamite power at such a young age are the main reasons why everyone is talking about Itauma as the future of his division.
When last he was sighted, he turned the boxing ring into a 20-by-20-foot square space of horror for Jermaine Franklin. They claimed the American could not be sunk, but Itauma was an iceberg Franklin had not sailed in the waters of before.
The performance made every viewer desperate to see Itauma on their screens again, and Queensberry Promotions boss Frank Warren was quick to let everyone know that his fighter would be out again in July.
And yesterday afternoon, it was revealed in a Tweet by Ariel Helwani that Itauma would be making his return on the 25th of July at the O2 Arena in London, England.
While the opponent has not been confirmed, it is expected that it will be yet another step-up for the young Briton.
So, how about we go over five potential candidates for who that might be?
5. Murat Gassiev.
Murat ‘Iron’ Gassiev (33-2 (1), 26 KOs) is the former unified cruiserweight champion and current WBA (Regular) heavyweight titleholder.
While a world-class cruiserweight whose only loss in the division was to Oleksandr Usyk, he hasn’t had quite the same success at heavyweight. And in 2023, he lost a decision to Otto Wallin.
However, Gassiev does hold a win over Mike Balogun, taking him out in two rounds like Itauma did. In addition, he owns a 2024 knockout victory over Kem Ljungquist, who is currently ranked #10 by the WBA.
Most recently, Gassiev knocked out Kubrat Pulev. And since Itauma beat Franklin, Gassiev’s promoters have openly expressed interest in this fight. And with Gassiev’s crushing power, Itauma will have a new type of problem to deal with.
However, given that Gassiev’s promoters stated they would prefer the fight to happen in Russia, it may not be who Itauma faces next.
4. Guido Vianello.
Ranked #11 by both the IBF and WBC, Guido ‘The Gladiator’ Vianello (14-3-1, 12 KOs) is a very capable fighter who can be a handful at his best.
Vianello suffered a very close decision loss to the world-ranked Efe Ajagba and also stopped Arslanbek Makhmudov. A points defeat to Richard Torrez Jr. was followed by a knockout of the unbeaten Alexis Barriere, Vianello’s last appearance.
While not having many top-level wins, Vianello is regardless a very solid contender and certainly wouldn’t be a bad choice for Itauma’s next opponent.
However, many British fans will be hoping for someone who are they are more accustomed to seeing, so perhaps the Italian won’t be Itauma’s next foe.
3. Filip Hrgovic.
In many ways, Filip ‘El Animal’ Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KOs) is the perfect opponent for Itauma to face in his first true step-up fight.
Hrgovic has plenty of experience fighting British opposition already, having faced Daniel Dubois, Joe Joyce, and David Adeleye in consecutive fights.
Additionally, the Croatian possesses one of the most durable chins in the heavyweight class. The type of chin that could very well be sturdy enough to give Itauma the rounds he requires.
Yet also, Hrgovic has frequently displayed lapses in both defence and motivation, seeming to switch off at times during fights. This makes him good and flawed in all the right ways.
Hrgovic has also revealed that Itauma is part of a multi-fight deal he has with Queensberry. However, he is currently scheduled to fight Dave Allen in May. And unless he emerges completely unscathed, it is unlikely he will be ready to fight again in two months’ time.
2. Zhilei Zhang.
This one is sure to get hearts thumping. Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang (27-3-1, 22 KOs) is one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world.
A demonic puncher with a seemingly solid chin, the big man from China is also a southpaw with deceptively fast hands for a man his size.
He is also very familiar to the British public, having twice beaten Joe Joyce and appearing on multiple Riyadh Season shows.
Zhang is, however, almost 43 years old, and he possesses very poor stamina that usually sees him tired after a few rounds. He also has been inactive for over a year since a defeat to Agit Kabayel.
But Zhang has knocked down everyone he’s faced, even those who have beaten him. He poses an inherent danger that will have Itauma on high alert at all times, and that’s the type of test the talented youngster needs right now.
1. Martin Bakole.
Another one that is bound to excite with just a mention of the opponent, Martin Bakole (21-2-1, 16 KOs) was considered the dangerman of the heavyweight division quite recently.
A destruction of America’s unbeaten hope Jared Anderson made everyone pay attention, and certain sparring stories also enhanced the myth of the Congolese behemoth.
However, Bakole’s second-round stoppage loss to Joseph Parker seriously dimmed the flames, and a debated draw with Efe Ajagba shortly after didn’t exactly help.
Still, Bakole is a big puncher who is a harrowing proposition for anyone on his best night. He has a huge weight advantage over Itauma, too.
It should also be noted that Bakole pulled out of negotiations with Guido Vianello recently, and there has been speculation that he may have received a better offer to fight Itauma instead.
Who knows? But how great it would be if that is the case.
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