Is Moses Itauma Ready For the Big Time?
By: Joshua Jaramillo
Moses Itauma is a special prospect in the modern heavyweight landscape. He’s not old, slow, fat, lazy, and the only questions lingering over him are the intangibles only capable of being brought out by those standing atop the division. He fights with skill, patience, and despite that has been able to stop all of his opponents so far within 6 rounds.
Clamours for him to face Oleksandr Usyk have only grown in volume as Itauma recently dismantled longtime campaigner Dillian Whyte in less than a round. Ignoring the presence of two more worthy challengers to the seemingly invincible champion, should Moses Itauma even be placed in such conversations?
The short answer is a maybe. Perhaps Moses Itauma truly is a diamond that will continue shining under pressure, the true heir of the heavyweight throne who has the potential to reign for the next 20 years. However, the more common answer for a prospect rushed into a confrontation with an all-time great is that they will be shattered under the experience gap. Their career upon being thrust into a fight that will likely lead to a beating becomes a question of recovery rather than reaching their full potential.
This is not an endorsement of Itauma continuing to fight no-hopers for the next several years, collecting an alphabet belt once Usyk steps away from the sport, and milking it until retirement. Itauma is far too good and promising to be reduced to the average WBO titleist.
Itauma, to reiterate, appears to be a special prospect. While Dillian Whyte was indeed far past a limited best, the veteran was an easy banana peel for Itauma to slip on. However, blowing out Whyte should not invite a challenge against a champion the best of this generation could not even dream of beating. Itauma, both to develop as a prospect and to further progress towards becoming the only man at the apex of the giants, should truly step up in class. Having the backing of Turki Al-Sheikh, while Itauma remains ultimately bound to his whims, guarantees that any opponent is an option for him. Let him fight world-class contenders, let him potentially struggle, and most importantly, let him learn.
And once he learns, he can truly earn.
Moses Itauma’s journey is just starting despite how far ahead he is of his peers at the prospect level.
If Turki Al-Sheikh truly wishes to make Itauma reach the heights that he purports he can reach, he can’t hyperfocus on the final destination like he always does. Just this once, the journey must be relished, at least for the moment. Hrgovic, Anderson, Wardley, Ajagba are all names that, while a good distance away from the top, will provide genuine experience for Itauma and allow him to show off the full range of his talents.
Itauma is anything but a prospect to cash out.
Special and with the chance to transcend beyond the limited scope of Saudi cards, as a fan of the sport I truly hope Moses Itauma’s management gives him the best chance possible. We very well may be witnessing the next 20 years of the heavyweight division in its opening stages.
