Moses Itauma: Franklin match ‘final component’ ahead of championship clash
British heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma has stated that his bout against Jermaine Franklin Jr. will serve as the “final piece of the puzzle” as he seeks to address the inquiries fans have regarding him while progressing toward a world title match.
Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) aims to gain rounds and essential experience against Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) in Manchester on Saturday [10 p.m. DAZN]. Franklin’s only two losses have been by decision to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.
In his last nine contests, Itauma has not gone beyond Round 2, accumulating just 26 rounds as a professional, with his most recent victory being a Round 1 stoppage against Whyte in August.
Despite facing injuries and difficulties in finding opponents willing to compete against him, resulting in a seven-month absence from the ring, it is anticipated that Itauma, who is widely regarded as a future heavyweight star, will take steps toward a world title opportunity this year.
Nonetheless, he acknowledges that he will encounter a significant challenge from a motivated Franklin this week.
“The media keeps inquiring about other heavyweights, but I have a serious contender in Jermaine Franklin,” Itauma remarked during a news conference in Manchester.
“We have been pursuing this fight for a year and a half. Now that we have it, I believe this is the final piece of the puzzle. There are questions my team wants to answer about me, questions I want to answer about myself, and many questions fans have about me as well.
“I feel that Jermaine Franklin is the final piece of the puzzle. When I am asked about other fights, that won’t happen if I don’t get past Jermaine Franklin.”
The dynamic beginning to the 21-year-old’s career has led to comparisons with a young Mike Tyson. However, his capacity to secure early victories has also sparked concerns regarding how he will cope in the later rounds, under pressure, and against powerful punchers when they connect.
Promoter Frank Warren expressed his eagerness to see what his young fighter is capable of.
“This fight on Saturday represents a significant moment in [Itauma’s] career. Jermaine is highly respected in the industry; he has the experience. He will pose some questions to Moses,” Warren stated.
“Moses understands what lies ahead of him … He must demonstrate that he is not merely a one-dimensional fighter and possesses additional skills. Can he box as effectively as he can punch? I believe he can do that.
“For Moses, this is, in my opinion, his toughest challenge to date.”
