Moses Itauma delivered a devastating first-round knockout of Dillian Whyte in Riyadh, sending the veteran heavyweight crashing to the canvas in under two minutes. The 20-year-old Slovakia-born fighter extended his perfect professional record to 13-0 with his 11th early finish.
Tyson Fury immediately hailed the rising star on social media. "There he is, the future of boxing," Fury wrote. "I've been saying it for years."
Dominant performance
Whyte was given no time to settle as Itauma went straight on the attack. The southpaw tested the 37-year-old former WBC interim champion with early jabs before precision combinations sent him back onto the ropes.
A powerful right hook sent Whyte crashing to the canvas. Although he stumbled back to his feet, the referee waved off the contest with just over a minute remaining in the opening round.
Mature approach to future
Itauma showed wisdom beyond his years in dismissing immediate calls for an undisputed champion bout. "That's what I've been drilling for 12/13 weeks. I put on a performance for you guys so it's now who's next? 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," he told the BBC.
He expressed slight disappointment at the quick finish during the post-fight press conference. "I'd love to get rounds in and Dillian Whyte was meant to give me rounds. I don't want to be bigheaded but it's not really my fault. I'm going to keep doing what I'm able to do and keep shining. Nobody thought I would knock him out in the first round," Itauma said.
Long-term vision
The young heavyweight emphasised his extensive preparation despite his age. "I've been boxing since I was nine years old; I've been boxing more than half my life. It might seem like an overnight success but I've been working on this for 11 years," Itauma said.
The spectacular performance has intensified calls for a world title shot in 2026. The endorsement from established heavyweights validates Itauma's rapid rise through boxing's most prestigious division.
Sources used: "Mirror" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
