Moses Itauma (right) has won his past nine fights by knockout
Moses Itauma emphatically stopped Dillian Whyte in under two minutes, further cementing his status as a potential future heavyweight star.
Headlining the card for the first time, the 20-year-old Briton rose to the occasion in what was touted as the biggest test of his career.
After landing several precise and powerful combinations, Itauma dropped Whyte, 37, with a thunderous right hand.
At just 119 seconds into the bout, referee Mikael Hook stopped the fight after Whyte returned to his feet.
Itauma now boasts a perfect 13-0 record as a professional, with 11 of those victories coming by way of knockout.
“What is next? I will fight anyone they put in front of me,” Itauma told DAZN.
“[The crowd] are saying [undisputed champion Oleksandr] Usyk. The team mentioned they want me to get some rounds out. Any of them can happen.”
Itauma has only gone beyond the second round on two occasions and has eight first-round stoppages on his record.
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Since his professional debut in 2023, where he won in just 23 seconds, Itauma has displayed a maturity beyond his years, excelling with each step up in competition.
Heavyweight contenders Joseph Parker, Derek Chisora, and Lawrence Okolie were ringside to witness the rising star’s latest statement performance.
Despite being the A-side, the Slovakia-born fighter walked to the ring first but was forced to wait for over three minutes by Whyte, who delayed his entrance – a delay longer than the fight itself.
After a few early feints to gauge his opponent, Itauma began to unload, quickly finding the range for his powerful punches.
Whyte was visibly feeling the power, retreating to the ropes as Itauma carefully selected his shots.
A right hook to the temple proved to be the decisive blow, and despite bravely returning to his feet, Whyte was deemed unable to continue.
“How he did it, his temperament, control and composure – he fights better than guys at their peak and he is 20 years of age,” Queensberry’s Frank Warren, who promotes Itauma, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He did a job on somebody who has been at the best levels.”
Despite being in the best shape of his career – weighing the lightest he has in 10 years – Whyte could not contend with Itauma, raising questions about his future.
Itauma’s aspirations of becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history ended in May, but this victory puts him firmly on track for a title shot in boxing’s premier division within the next 12 months.
With Tyson Fury retired, Anthony Joshua in the twilight of his career, and Daniel Dubois losing his IBF title to Usyk last month, Itauma has once again demonstrated he is a promising British heavyweight contender.
Moses Itauma was undefeated as an amateur
Itauma has been carefully managed throughout the first two years of his career, and it is unlikely that he will be rushed into a fight beyond his capabilities, jeopardizing the progress he has made.
Undisputed champion Usyk remains the fighter to beat, but Itauma is willing to take another step before potentially facing the two-weight great.
“I put on a performance for you guys so it’s now ‘who’s next?’,” Itauma said.
“I don’t want to call out Usyk because I don’t believe I deserve the opportunity, but guys that do deserve the opportunity – I want to fight those lot.
“So maybe Agit Kabayel, maybe Joseph Parker. Maybe them type of names.”
Parker has demonstrated he is not afraid to accept a challenge, as shown when he stepped in on just two days’ notice to face the widely avoided Martin Bakole and secured a stunning victory.
“[Itauma] is a great talent,” Parker told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.
“He put on a great display in terms of power, aggression and picking his shots. For a 20 year-old to be under the lights, he took the pressure on.
“I would love to share the ring with him one day and we probably will.”
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