Oleksandr Usyk has barely wrapped up his undisputed heavyweight win over Daniel Dubois and is already being matched with his next prospective opponent. Despite contenders Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel being deserving of title shots, British heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma is being angled for Usyk by Turki Alalshikh for reasons attributed to his youth and potential ― though potentially barring his rise is the unknown factor of Itauma’s upcoming opponent; Dillian Whyte.
20-year old heavyweight (200+ lbs) Brit Moses Itauma (12-0, 10 KO’s) rightfully generated buzz after recording a 1st round stoppage victory over Australian contender Demsey McKean, but despite aiming for another career-defining moment in his upcoming August 16th headliner against fellow countryman and veteran Dillian Whyte (31-3, 21 KO’s), whether Itauma is ready for or deserving of a title challenge is highly doubtful.
With Itauma’s rising talent and youth [and Whyte’s age and perceived debilitated form] now putting him as the 10-to-1 favorite to win over Whyte, the 37-year old Whyte is seemingly being lined up for Itauma to expand his reputation across the boxing world. With the two further being a part of the main event of Riyadh Season’s August 16th card and the show itself being promoted by Queensberry Promotions, Itauma’s promoter, everything seems to align for Moses Itauma to grab an empathetic and notable victory.
One that may even see him challenge for all of the main four heavyweight titles currently held by Ukrainian undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KO’s).
Turki Alalshikh at the very least seems interested in giving Itauma a title shot as he indicated in a social media post put out this past weeked:
“I want to see Usyk against Itauma,” Alalshikh recently stated on Twitter/X following Usyk’s undisputed win over Daniel Dubois. “This is the fight.“
Alalshikh, The Ring owner and head of Riyadh Season through the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), has the means and resources to convince both fighters to head into the ring, yet even a win over Whyte for Moses Itauma does not signify as a suitable contender.
Not when New Zealand WBO interim champion Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KO’s) and German WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel (26-0, 18 KO’s) have paved their way towards a position where they should and are considered the best contenders in the division.
Parker, who trumped up chances of being Usyk’s next opponent by championing for an opportunity in the ring following Usyk’s victory over Dubois (22-3, 21 KO’s), was notably sidelined for an opportunity against former IBF champion Dubois and Usyk in the span of a couple months this year ― with the two champions eventually agreeing to fight each other on the July 19th card held this past Saturday.
Kabayel also more than earned a title shot for himself after dispatching prevalent contenders in Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Chinese slugger Zhilei Zhang in back-to-back fights to place him as arguably the #1 position; depending on how Parker’s own wins against Zhang, Deontay Wilder and Martin Bakole are considered.
Considering Moses Itauma will first need to make it past Dillian Whyte to be granted an opportunity against Usyk, all eyes will be on the upcoming August 16th bout where Whyte might just cause an upset to derail any of the plans being fermented for Itauma.
