Moses Itauma vs. Jermaine Franklin | DAZN - 28 March 2026

[Ruthless-RKO]

Willy Hutchinson: Ezra Taylor Fight Is Honestly A Step Back, But Why Not?

On November 1, Willy Hutchinson made his way to Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena to watch his old foe, Joshua Buatsi, battle to a controversial 10-round decision win over Zach Parker. The Ring’s No. 10-ranked light heavyweight had designs on taking on the winner at some point in early 2026.

The Scotsman was prowling around ringside when drawn into an impromptu interview with the undefeated Ezra Taylor, where things quickly escalated. Taylor (13-0, 9 KOs) called Hutchinson (19-2, 14 KOs) out and the two had to be dragged apart.

Hutchinson left Manchester with a new opponent.

On January 24, the two will return to the Co-op Live Arena and this time, settle their differences between the ropes. DAZN will broadcast the event.

"He's never been on my radar, ever," an upbeat Hutchinson told The Ring.

"Only since ten days ago, whenever the fight was made. It's money in the bank in January. He's the only one capable of fighting on that date. Why not?"

"To be honest with you, if anything it’s a step back but doesn't make a difference to me. A fight's a fight, I believe in my capability and believe the job will get done.”

Most hark back to Hutchinson’s unanimous decision victory over former world title challenger Craig Richards on the Queensberry-Matchroom ‘5v5’ card in June 2024 as an example of exactly what the 27-year-old is capable of when he is fully fit and focused.

Those who have followed Hutchinson since the start of his career were pleased to see him finally put everything together on a big stage but believed that the win over the solid Richards would be the ideal launchpad to even bigger things.

That opportunity came just three months later but he was dropped twice and outpointed by Buatsi on the undercard of Daniel Dubois’ IBF heavyweight title defence against Anthony Joshua.

Hutchinson agrees that people have have still only seen a glimpse of what he is capable of.

“It wasn't my best,” he said of the Richards fight. “There's loads more to come. A hundred million percent.

“I was better in the fight with the German [a second round stoppage of Martin Houben] at the start of that year than I was ever in the Richards fight. If I would have fought him and it wasn't the German [that night], I would have knocked Richards spark out.”

That stoppage of Houben was the catalyst for a whirlwind six months for Hutchinson.

The win persuaded Queensberry to select him as their light heavyweight representative for the ‘5v5’ show and he impressively outboxed the favoured Richards.

Riding the hot hand, Queensberry put Hutchinson directly into a WBO interim title fight with Buatsi. Having started 2024 in the wilderness, Hutchinson ended it by boxing in front of 90,000 fans at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Looking back, Hutchinson believes that the toll of taking part in three high-pressure fights within six months affected him against Buatsi. Now rested and refocused, he looked back to his best as he dismantled the solid Mark Jeffers in seven rounds this past October.

"When I would fight, I'd have a few weeks of a break. I was running myself into the ground. I wasn't giving myself rest," he said.

"That's where it caught up, in the Buatsi fight. The most important fight for me, it wasn't there because my body wasn't getting rest. I was here, there and everywhere.

"Listen, put Buatsi from his last fight in with me, but that's another story."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ezra Taylor: Willy Hutchinson Must Be A Failed Prospect, If We're Fighting

Ezra Taylor believes that his ambition will be the deciding factor when he boxes Willy Hutchinson on January 24.

Taylor (13-0, 9 KOs) is talented and confident but the unbeaten light heavyweight will face the biggest test of his credentials yet when the two fight at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.

Back in 2021, Hutchinson (19-2, 14 KOs) stumbled in his first test when Lennox Clarke stopped him in a British and Commonwealth super middleweight title fight.

He moved up to light heavyweight and has made his name over the past 18 months.

In June 2024, he outpointed Craig Richards on the Queensberry-Matchroom ‘5v5’ show before losing to Joshua Buatsi in an interim WBO 175-pound title fight three months later. The 27-year-old currently sits at No. 10 in The Ring's light heavyweight rankings.

Taylor has been gaining experience at domestic level but Hutchinson has dismissed his chances of springing an upset, stating the 30-year-old from Nottingham is at the same point he was seven years ago.

"If you was where I am now seven years ago, how the hell are we here?" Taylor said at the fight's launch press conference. "You must be like a failed prospect or something because seven years from now, I'm going to be a world champion."

Earlier this month, Hutchinson made his way to Manchester hoping to snare an early 2026 fight with the winner of the fight between his former conqueror, Buatsi, and Zach Parker.

He and Taylor bumped into each other at ringside and immediately butted heads.

Having beaten Troy Jones and later Steed Woodall this year, Taylor was ready to level up but many were surprised when it was quickly announced that the two had agreed to fight.

Taylor and his team have clearly looked beyond paper records and see the Scotsman as an attainable target.

Hutchinson was a precocious amateur who won the 2017 World Youth Championships and whilst he may be more well-known than Taylor, it could be convincingly argued that a win would be the second biggest victory of his eight-year long professional career.

He may have impressively outboxed the experienced Richards but was dropped twice by Buatsi and never really came close to beating the Olympic bronze medallist.

Hutchinson told The Ring that he sees the fight as 'money in the bank' but Taylor is approaching their encounter with an entirely different mindset.

"You see what he's motivated by? He's motivated by money," Taylor said.

"You see me? I don't care for money. Real talk. I don't care for money. I'm here because I sacrifice everything. You think I care for money? You think I'm getting paid big money.

"I want to become a world champion. Listen to what I'm saying, I ain't got time to worry about money and all that stuff. On the January 24 I'm going to batter you and you're going to see what serious motivation is.

"He's talking about I'm no good and whatever else, but clearly I must be decent because you're fighting me now on the 24th."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jermaine Franklin Was On ‘Autopilot’ Against Ivan Dychko Soon After Father’s Death

Jermaine Franklin thought he could handle the grief until he stepped through the ropes.

A fortnight before he was scheduled to face Ivan Dychko as part of the undercard for Terence Crawford’s clash with Canelo Alvarez, Franklin's world was rocked by the death of his father. Many fighters would have decided to pull out of the contest, but the 32-year-old heavyweight contender opted to fight.

“In honor of him,” Franklin said at the time, “I’ll push on.”

But by the time he was face-to-face with Dychko, the fearsome 6-foot-9 Kazakh, Franklin’s mind was simply elsewhere. The absence of his dad, who would have been ringside at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, was weighing far heavier than he imagined.

“Up until the fight night, during training camp, I felt like everything was OK, like I could push and persevere,” Franklin told The Ring. “But that actual day, and once I got in the ring, my mind was a wreck. I’m listening, I’m trying to focus, I’m still fighting, but it’s like I’m on autopilot mode.

“It was so much rushing me at one time and I’m thinking about a thousand things in the ring while I’m still trying to think about winning the fight. It was real hard trying to push everything to the back of my mind and continue the fight.”

Even so, “The 989 Assassin” was able to figure things out, claiming a unanimous decision after 10 rounds, with one judge scoring him a 97-92 winner. Given the circumstances, it is put to Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) that it might just be the best win of his career to date.

“Nah,” he said. “I’m a huge critic of myself, so I would say no because it was sloppy to me. I wanted to perform better and show a little more, but I did what I could and I did enough to put a victory out.”

That victory over Dychko (15-1, 14 KOs), which was Franklin’s first outing for 14 months, has earned the Saginaw, Michigan, native a quick return to the ring, a chance to derail the prodigious Moses Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) as his reward.

Their fight, scheduled for January 24 at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, will come just 19 weeks after his emotionally turbulent clash with Dychko. Franklin is convinced he has had long enough to manage whatever emotions may land on fight night this time around.

“I feel better at this point,” Franklin said. “Grief is something that has no time limit on it and my personal opinion on grief is nobody really gets over it. We just know how to deal with it as we continue to grow in life. So instead of letting those moments feel like they get you down, you just let them make you happy. You think about all the good times and good memories and stuff like that you share.

“I don’t think it ends, but it’s just we learn how to deal with it better and learn how to be in a safer mental space with it. That includes in the ring. It’s not something I’ll battle with again. I’m pretty strongminded. My dad will always be up there, but it’s not something I’ll battle with again.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

LIAM DAVIES: I MUST BEAT ZAK MILLER, TO GET A BIG 2026 FIGHT

Liam Davies has spent the past six months looking a major name.

The 29-year-old Donnington featherweight has thrown his name in the mix for a fight with WBC interim titleholder Bruce Carrington, an all-British showdown with WBA champion Nick Ball or a clash with IBF beltholder Angelo Leo.

He was also nominated as the mandatory challenger for Cristobal Lorente's European title.

The 126-pound division has been a hive of activity recently.

Carrington will now box Carlos Castro for the recently-vacated WBC title, with the new champion to immediately defend their prize against the winner of a final eliminator between Lorente and Nathaniel Collins - a rematch of their October split draw.

On February 7, Ball will make his fourth title defence against two-weight world champion Brandon Figueroa.

All of this movement means that, on January 24, Davies will travel to Manchester's Co-op Live Arena to fight former British and Commonwealth champion Zak Miller.

The two will fight on the undercard of the heavyweight fight between Moses Itauma and Jermaine Franklin, streamed live on DAZN.

Davies may not have snared one of the division's biggest names but knows a win over Miller is absolutely crucial, if he's to secure a world title fight in 2026.

"I wouldn't say it's a step down, just doesn't put me any further, but it's a fight, isn't it? Beggars can't be choosers. I love to fight, I've been begging to and they have got me one," Davies (17-1, 8 KOs) told The Ring.

"It doesn't really matter who it is but, obviously, future-wise, I just want to be pushed in the right direction. This fight puts me in a good position for a big opportunity."

Davies shot to prominence with a series of impressive performances and eye-catching knockouts that bought him a host of titles and saw him enter The Ring's junior featherweight rankings.

His unbeaten run ended in November 2024 when turning in an out-of-sorts performance, losing a split decision and his minor world title belt to newly-minted European champion Shabaz Masoud.

The result convinced Davies: step up to 126 pounds. His only appearance since has been a comfortable get right win against Irish Olympian Kurt Walker in May but now settled at featherweight, he's eager to begin another run.

"That's my plan," he said. "We'd be in January, I should fight in the summer and at the end of the year, maybe, or whenever I can but I'm hoping for three next year and got to make sure it's a good start, which I'm working hard to make sure happens."

Davies may have been relatively inactive during the 13 months since the Masoud defeat, though Miller has been anything but. The 28-year-old has notched three victories, winning British and Commonwealth titles while earning a Queensberry deal in the process.

If the prospect of facing a hungry, in-form fighter wasn't a big enough source of motivation, Davies is all too aware of the consequences of defeat. He knows just how important the fight with Miller is.

"Yeah, of course it is and I've seen how when things don't go to plan, how many backwards steps you have to take - or feel like you've taken - so there's no messing about," he continued.

"No-one's taking anyone for granted. Of course I rate Zak, he's a good boxer and wouldn't be in the position to fight me if he wasn't but I've just got to show what I believe and that's exactly what I'm expecting to happen in January.

"I wish him all the best and think he knows himself that it's his toughest fight to date."

[Ruthless-RKO]

JERMAINE FRANKLIN DOESN'T WANT WAR, KEEPING OPEN MIND BEFORE MOSES ITAUMA FIGHT

If he was born 30 years earlier, Jermaine Franklin would have been a staple on USA Tuesday Night Fights or a headline attraction on the Heavyweight Explosion cards launching so many fighters to stardom around the turn of the century.

The 32-year-old Michigan-native has the type of clever, slick pressure fighting style that time forgot.

On January 24, Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) will travel to the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England to fight the man widely regarded as the heavyweight division's future flagbearer, undefeated Moses Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs).

Franklin is expected to provide the 20-year-old with the toughest test of his short but explosive career thus far.

"I like 1980s, 1990s guys," he told The Ring.

"My favourite heavyweight is Evander Holyfield. I like the old guys. Holyfield, Riddick Bowe. I liked Ali but hated the rope-a-dope, so I try not to learn too much from Ali but, yeah, I like all the older guys like Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray.

"I watch a lot of those fights. Coming up closer, I loved Lennox Lewis. I loved that man. He's savage and I liked the Klitschkos."

Given Franklin is a fan of Holyfield and Bowe, it should come as no surprise that the legendary 1992 undisputed heavyweight title battle between the two rivals is one of his all-time favourite fights.

Lots of boxers will tell you that it is their dream to be involved in the type of brutal war that ensures fans never forget them.

Franklin has been involved in long, hard fights before and would be comfortable and confident if he can drag Itauma into a give-and-take battle.

He is far too wise and knowledgeable to arrive in Manchester with one gameplan, as experience has taught him the need to be adaptable.

Franklin will roll forward but knows he may be able to pose the youngster plenty of problems by showing him looks he hasn't yet seen, rather than gambling everything on a dangerous all-or-nothing approach.

"I try not to think too much about it because I have a problem with tunnel vision. I can get too focused on just doing one thing, so try to leave my mind open to be able to adjust to any situation," he said.

"I don't want to go in there just thinking, 'Yeah, we're going to have a war' or 'Yeah, I'm going to knock you out'.

"I've got to be prepared to box if I've got to, use my feet or brawl if needs be so just try to keep an open mind and see what's going to come first, and how to adjust to it."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ezra Taylor hails influence of Malik Scott: 'He's the mastermind I needed'

For years, Nottingham light-heavyweight Ezra Taylor has been described as the full package but it was not until he linked up with Malik Scott that he genuinely considered himself that.

Taylor (13-0, 9 KOs) had not put a foot wrong over the course of his first 11 professional fights so it is not unfair to suggest that his decision to up sticks for Los Angeles to train with a new coach earlier this year came as a surprise to some.

And the new arrangement, under former fringe heavyweight contender and emerging coach Scott, could not have gotten off to a more inauspicious start after a 23-hour stint in a US detention centre. Taylor had headed south to watch Gerald Washington stop Carlos Eduardo Cardenas inside three rounds of their clash in Mazatlan, Mexico. However when he attempted to re-enter America, the 31-year-old was told he was being deported back to the UK.

“Don’t worry, we’re settled here now,” Taylor says from the front room of his temporary apartment in west Hollywood. “Yeah, I got deported last time around. That was two weeks before the Troy Jones fight, which is wild. It's not ideal being held in a detention centre for 23 hours and all that other stuff. It’s a bit bizarre when you're trying to train for a fight.”

The distraction, however, did not knock him off course as he marked his first fight under Scott by widely outpointing Jones, the only undefeated opponent on his record so far, over 10. Then, five months later, the new Transatlantic training team went two for two as Taylor stopped Steed Woodall in nine at London’s O2 Arena.

Now Taylor is back in LA to prepare for his next assignment and one he has no problem describing as ‘easily the toughest test’ of his career to date. On January 24, Taylor is slated to face The Ring’s No. 10-rated light-heavyweight Willy Hutchinson at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena and for the first time in his career he is an underdog with the bookmakers.

But, as far as he can see it, this will not be a fair fight.

“I go in the ring and it's normally a 1v1,” Taylor explains. “But it feels like a 2v1 now I’ve got Malik in my corner. That's the confidence I have going into the ring against anyone since we linked up. I'm so grateful to have Malik in my life. He's really the game changer overall.

“He’s a father figure, a mentor. He's on point. He's someone that I strive to be like because his traits and characteristics are great as a man. He's got good morals and ethics as well, principles. He's someone that I'm learning a lot of outside and inside the ring as well. We're both God-fearing as well, so we share that. Overall, it's not just a boxing relationship that we have. We have a strong relationship in general.”

Christmas was cancelled for Taylor, who eschewed the normal festive gathering back home in Nottingham in favour of his training camp, which did not miss a beat over the holidays.

“I’m in the trenches, mate,” he says with a smile. “No Christmas here.

“This has been a long and useful camp because every day I'm getting used to the climate and the changes because you have to adjust. America's completely different to the UK. The training style and the regime is brutal but you have to adjust to it. And yeah, you can see the results in my fights. I'm getting better and better each fight.

“I've just got an apartment out here that I'm chilling in. And then, yeah, I just get from A to B to train. So I train in North Hollywood, stay in West Hollywood and then I just crack on; I train two to three times a day.

“We're able to put in work and there's no schedule that we have to adhere to. It’s not like we've got a one-hour session, we'll work for two hours if we need to. If I need to get this left, right, down to a tee, we'll work on that for ages and ages until we get it down. So it's perfect. The dynamic's perfect.”

And what of Hutchinson, who is four years’ his junior but with far more experience as a professional? The talented switch-hitter lost narrowly to Joshua Buatsi in September 2024 but is now Hell-bent on working his way towards a world title shot.

“We've already got the game plan,” Taylor says. “We already know what we need to do. And it's nothing out of the realm of what I normally do anyway.

“And that's the thing I keep saying to people. I think we've probably seen the best Willy Hutchinson, but you haven't seen the best of me. That's something that people should sink their teeth into.

“We know what he’s about, he switches stances and he’s tricky. So you have to spar everyone, you spar southpaws, you spar orthodox, you spar switch-hitters. The sparring out here in LA is crazy. And like I said, it's character building. You see what makes or breaks you.

“That's a luxury of being out here because they have all types of styles out here that I've been dealing with. And Malik, I leave it all to him, man. He's a mastermind of what he does.

“I'm excited. It's not like I have to go and do backflips in the ring because I'm finding it hard and I have to do something completely different - I'm just going to go in there and be the best Ezra Taylor.”

[KiwiRider]

The announcements for this card aren't really motivating me at all- yet.
This sort of event isn't doing Moses much good.

[tony1234]

The announcements for this card aren't really motivating me at all- yet.
This sort of event isn't doing Moses much good.

It makes you wonder what they're actually trying to do at times

[gilgamesh]

The announcements for this card aren't really motivating me at all- yet.
This sort of event isn't doing Moses much good.

It makes you wonder what they're actually trying to do at times

Convince you that he's hot sh*t without having to show you much for fear that he may be exposed is what it seems like to me.

[gregregegg]

The announcements for this card aren't really motivating me at all- yet.
This sort of event isn't doing Moses much good.

Why isn’t this event doing Moses much good?

He gets to headline his first big uk show with a big rowdy uk crowd. And it’s in the north which means if he has the wba reg title fight next he can take that back to London without getting too repetitive.
And
He gets to fight arguably the toughest gatekeeper levle fighter in the division that if he stops him will goie flattering comparisons to aj, Whyte, Dychco, (perfect for someone that needs rounds but not actualy a good opponent).

Franklin has had a full camp too, and is 32 years old and not off a long lay off.

As long as the ref dosent uk stop it the second a 3 punch combo lands then this is the perfect set up for Moses in my opinion (and even if the ref does stop it early it will be good for Moses hype…)

[KiwiRider]

The announcements for this card aren't really motivating me at all- yet.
This sort of event isn't doing Moses much good.

Why isn’t this event doing Moses much good?

He gets to headline his first big uk show with a big rowdy uk crowd. And it’s in the north which means if he has the wba reg title fight next he can take that back to London without getting too repetitive.
And
He gets to fight arguably the toughest gatekeeper levle fighter in the division that if he stops him will goie flattering comparisons to aj, Whyte, Dychco, (perfect for someone that needs rounds but not actualy a good opponent).

Franklin has had a full camp too, and is 32 years old and not off a long lay off.

As long as the ref dosent uk stop it the second a 3 punch combo lands then this is the perfect set up for Moses in my opinion (and even if the ref does stop it early it will be good for Moses hype…)

The main event is okay, the rest of the card isn't enough to get me enthused.
It's not going to get me to tune in- and I did say 'yet' as I try and keep some optimism.

[Cyclops]

The announcements for this card aren't really motivating me at all- yet.
This sort of event isn't doing Moses much good.

Why isn’t this event doing Moses much good?

He gets to headline his first big uk show with a big rowdy uk crowd. And it’s in the north which means if he has the wba reg title fight next he can take that back to London without getting too repetitive.
And
He gets to fight arguably the toughest gatekeeper levle fighter in the division that if he stops him will goie flattering comparisons to aj, Whyte, Dychco, (perfect for someone that needs rounds but not actualy a good opponent).

Franklin has had a full camp too, and is 32 years old and not off a long lay off.

As long as the ref dosent uk stop it the second a 3 punch combo lands then this is the perfect set up for Moses in my opinion (and even if the ref does stop it early it will be good for Moses hype…)

The main event is okay, the rest of the card isn't enough to get me enthused.
It's not going to get me to tune in- and I did say 'yet' as I try and keep some optimism.

It's a good opponent to move him along: the right person to put him in with next. Everybody wants a big name but he isn't ready and needs seasoning. I don't imagine anybody is excited about this one particularly, it won't sell out and it won't do especially well. It's just the right fight. An investment in improving him as a fighter. It shouldn't be a main event but the sport needs new stars to carry it: he's the new hopeful. Who else is there?

That's all there is to it, really.

[mickey1975]

Why isn’t this event doing Moses much good?

He gets to headline his first big uk show with a big rowdy uk crowd. And it’s in the north which means if he has the wba reg title fight next he can take that back to London without getting too repetitive.
And
He gets to fight arguably the toughest gatekeeper levle fighter in the division that if he stops him will goie flattering comparisons to aj, Whyte, Dychco, (perfect for someone that needs rounds but not actualy a good opponent).

Franklin has had a full camp too, and is 32 years old and not off a long lay off.

As long as the ref dosent uk stop it the second a 3 punch combo lands then this is the perfect set up for Moses in my opinion (and even if the ref does stop it early it will be good for Moses hype…)

The main event is okay, the rest of the card isn't enough to get me enthused.
It's not going to get me to tune in- and I did say 'yet' as I try and keep some optimism.

It's a good opponent to move him along: the right person to put him in with next. Everybody wants a big name but he isn't ready and needs seasoning. I don't imagine anybody is excited about this one particularly, it won't sell out and it won't do especially well. It's just the right fight. An investment in improving him as a fighter. It shouldn't be a main event but the sport needs new stars to carry it: he's the new hopeful. Who else is there?

That's all there is to it, really.

It's done well already.

[Cyclops]

The main event is okay, the rest of the card isn't enough to get me enthused.
It's not going to get me to tune in- and I did say 'yet' as I try and keep some optimism.

It's a good opponent to move him along: the right person to put him in with next. Everybody wants a big name but he isn't ready and needs seasoning. I don't imagine anybody is excited about this one particularly, it won't sell out and it won't do especially well. It's just the right fight. An investment in improving him as a fighter. It shouldn't be a main event but the sport needs new stars to carry it: he's the new hopeful. Who else is there?

That's all there is to it, really.

It's done well already.

Good.

[jlh]

I think it will sell out. Lots of tickets left in upper tier at the back but they have only recently opened these sections up for sale. So, I'd imagine it's sold alot better than expected. Everything else barring the VIP tickets have pretty much gone.

[hitman_hatton1]

Horrible mismatch. Itauma bombs him out before round 2 is over, at the latest.

such an underwhelming opponent.

nearly as underwhelming as that ifl interview he give.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Shakiel Thompson promises Brad Pauls the ‘shock of his life’

Unbeaten middleweight contender Shakiel Thompson admits his January 24 fight with Brad Pauls represents a significant step up.

Thompson, 15-0 (11 KOs), a southpaw from Sheffield, UK, will meet Pauls at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, UK, and presently sits at No. 5 in the IBF ratings and No. 11 in the WBO rankings.

“I’m really excited for this,” Thompson told Boxing Scene. “I’ve been begging for opportunities like this. I’ve been calling all the names out, and now the opportunity is here and we’re grabbing it with both hands. We’re going to make a statement come January 24.”

Thompson has long been calling out the leading lights at middleweight domestically but had been frustrated in his efforts to land big fights until Pauls stepped up.

“I’m not too sure,” Thompson said when asked why so few had seemed keen to face him.

“Probably because I’m a 6ft, 3ins, big-punching southpaw, and I’m huge for the weight. I’m not too sure. You’re going to have to ask the other middleweights that question. But, yeah, no one’s been lining up. So hats off to Brad for taking it the second time. He didn’t take it for the final eliminator.”

Does Thompson think Pauls sees something in the unbeaten prospect, or is it simply an important fight for Pauls to win to get back into the mix for title fights?

“He needs to win this fight to get back in the mix,” said Thompson. “I don’t think there’s any other route for him to go down. He needs to get past me. And once he does, he can go to the other routes. But, yeah, he won’t be getting past me. He’ll be getting the shock of his life.”

Pauls, from Cornwall, UK, is 20-2-1 (11 KOs) and won an eight-rounder in 2025 after losing his last fight of 2024 to Denzel Bentley in December of that year.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jermaine Franklin scoffs at narrative about giving rounds to Moses Itauma

There have been few attempts to hide the theory behind drafting Jermaine Franklin as the next opponent for fast-rising heavyweight contender Moses Itauma.

The 21-year-old from Chatham has not been beyond the second round for two-and-a-half years and swept aside former world heavyweight title challenger Dillian Whyte in just 119 seconds of their August clash.

Itauma, therefore, is in desperate need of ring time and Franklin, the 32-year-old "989 Assassin" from Saginaw, Michigan, has been selected in a bid to "give him rounds." The suggestion is that Franklin can’t win, but based on previous form should be able to survive six minutes at least.

Franklin, who will face Itauma on January 24 at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, is well aware of the narrative but is no fan of it. “I’ve heard that,” he tells The Ring. “It’s very disrespectful.

“This is the boxing game. They always try to bring somebody down just to boost somebody else up. It is what it is, but I do take some stuff personally.”

Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) has never been stopped in his career with 12-round decision defeats to Anthony Joshua and Whyte. A quick victory for Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) this time around would represent another statement for The Ring’s No. 7 heavyweight.

His searing charge towards the upper echelons of the division slowed in 2025, during which he boxed only twice — that victory over Whyte and a two-round demolition job on Mike Balogun in May. Given he stopped Demsey McKean inside two minutes of their December 2024 fight, it means Itauma has completed just one round of action in the past 18 months.

For Franklin, a student of the game, it has meant there is precious little footage of Itauma to get his teeth into, but he has done his best in preparation.

“They're short but I’ve already gone back and watched hella fights of his,” Franklin said. “I’ve watched some of them three or four times.

“I like to pick small stuff apart so I want to see if he has a habit in one fight, does it continue into the next one? It’s all about stuff like that. I like to pick small stuff because, to me, small stuff is big advantages.

“He’s going to come to fight. I’m just here to show people that I’m no pushover. I’m not someone to mess around with.”

The pair have already crossed paths briefly, when Franklin was in town to spar Fabio Wardley, Itauma’s stablemate under Ben Davison.

“We talked,” he said. “We had a conversation and I wished him well. Me and Moses don’t have any bad blood. This is all just for the love of the sport. Now we’re ready to go to work for it.

“He’s a good young fighter who has accomplished a lot in his time. Now it’s fight time so all the nice stuff goes out the window but I think he’s a great fighter.”

Given he beat Ivan Dychko on September 13, this represents a quick turnaround for Franklin, who had been out of the ring for 14 months. “That was a nice little layoff,” he said.

Despite admitting he was on auto-pilot against Dychko due to the death of his father in the build up, Franklin made no mistakes against the dangerous Kazakh, leaving Las Vegas with a contentious unanimous decision after 10.

And it is a new-look Franklin in 2026. Gone are his trademark dreadlocks after 11 years, in comes a new mentality for the heavyweight who knows an upset victory could well deliver him a world title shot within the next 12 months.

“It’s back to business quickly for me,” he says. “I do feel revived a little bit. I get to do what I love and I get to do it consistently. It has awakened a fire in me. And I feel faster without my hair. I move my head a little bit and it added weight to my neck. I got better motion now.

“And this is a division changing real fast. The rumours is a lot of guys will be retiring next year so it’s really going to be wide open. I see a big sea change coming and hopefully I’m next on top of that throne.”

Given the only two defeats of his career came on British soil, the country has not been a happy hunting ground for Franklin, who still insists he should have got the decision against Whyte after 12 close rounds in November 2022. Now he will arrive in Manchester better equipped to deal with his position as away fighter.

“I say this with the utmost respect,” Franklin said. “But I learned that when you fight people in their country you will never get a fair shot. You have to make those people respect you and you have to earn the win.

“A lot of people say the Dillian fight was close but I think I easily won that fight 7-5. Yes Joshua beat me, I can be a man about that.

“But now it just means I’m prepared to do whatever it takes. Whether I got to get ugly, that’s what it’s got to be. I won’t let the referee or the judges deter me or how I fight. I’m going to make the best of the situation.

“I’m so gullible about boxing that I never thought it would happen to me. I didn’t see it happen on TV so I didn’t think I’d be part of that experience. It was a real eye-opener.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Moses Itauma: Jermaine Franklin Is Good At Things I Still Need To Prove

Moses Itauma believes Jermaine Franklin will pose him the type of questions he hasn't yet been forced to answer when they fight at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena on January 24.

On paper, Franklin promises to provide Itauma with the sternest test yet of his credentials but the robust American is being written off by many as a measuring stick of the 21-year-old's progress rather than a genuine threat to his unbeaten record.

Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) doesn't subscribe to that theory.

"I actually think it's a test of opposition," Itauma said during a recent roundtable interview.

So far, The Ring's No. 7-ranked heavyweight has breezed through a cast of fringe contenders and faded names but Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) will arrive on British shores after a career-best win over the previously undefeated Ivan Dychko and still in his prime at 32.

The Michigan native has only ever been beaten by two-time unified heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, and a peak Dillian Whyte - neither man came close to stopping him inside the distance.

Itauma is widely regarded as the future of the heavyweight division but hasn't been extended beyond the second round since coasting through six rounds with Argentina's Kevin Espindola in July 2023.

He understands it is crucial that he meets some resistance on his road to a title shot and is prepared for the determined Franklin to offer plenty more push back than recent opposition.

"I actually think it might be my toughest fight," he said.

"The reason why I say that is because what he does very well, there's still question marks [about me]. Whereas with Whyte, there's a lot of things to exploit in his game. Demsey McKean - to be honest - although he went 12 rounds with Filip Hrgovic, I personally didn't think that he was great.

"But I actually do feel like Franklin's a solid fighter so I'm ready for him."

[mickey1975]

Ben Davison and Lee Wylie will be fuming if they find out Franklin has been studying videos of Moses. They invented that.

[dookus]

Ben Davison and Lee Wylie will be fuming if they find out Franklin has been studying videos of Moses. They invented that.

Good test this for Itauma. Franklin is tough and fairly well skilled and will be motivated to spring the upset.

[Cyclops]

Jermaine Franklin scoffs at narrative about giving rounds to Moses Itauma

There have been few attempts to hide the theory behind drafting Jermaine Franklin as the next opponent for fast-rising heavyweight contender Moses Itauma.

The 21-year-old from Chatham has not been beyond the second round for two-and-a-half years and swept aside former world heavyweight title challenger Dillian Whyte in just 119 seconds of their August clash.

Itauma, therefore, is in desperate need of ring time and Franklin, the 32-year-old "989 Assassin" from Saginaw, Michigan, has been selected in a bid to "give him rounds." The suggestion is that Franklin can’t win, but based on previous form should be able to survive six minutes at least.

Franklin, who will face Itauma on January 24 at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, is well aware of the narrative but is no fan of it. “I’ve heard that,” he tells The Ring. “It’s very disrespectful.

“This is the boxing game. They always try to bring somebody down just to boost somebody else up. It is what it is, but I do take some stuff personally.”

Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) has never been stopped in his career with 12-round decision defeats to Anthony Joshua and Whyte. A quick victory for Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) this time around would represent another statement for The Ring’s No. 7 heavyweight.

His searing charge towards the upper echelons of the division slowed in 2025, during which he boxed only twice — that victory over Whyte and a two-round demolition job on Mike Balogun in May. Given he stopped Demsey McKean inside two minutes of their December 2024 fight, it means Itauma has completed just one round of action in the past 18 months.

For Franklin, a student of the game, it has meant there is precious little footage of Itauma to get his teeth into, but he has done his best in preparation.

“They're short but I’ve already gone back and watched hella fights of his,” Franklin said. “I’ve watched some of them three or four times.

“I like to pick small stuff apart so I want to see if he has a habit in one fight, does it continue into the next one? It’s all about stuff like that. I like to pick small stuff because, to me, small stuff is big advantages.

“He’s going to come to fight. I’m just here to show people that I’m no pushover. I’m not someone to mess around with.”

The pair have already crossed paths briefly, when Franklin was in town to spar Fabio Wardley, Itauma’s stablemate under Ben Davison.

“We talked,” he said. “We had a conversation and I wished him well. Me and Moses don’t have any bad blood. This is all just for the love of the sport. Now we’re ready to go to work for it.

“He’s a good young fighter who has accomplished a lot in his time. Now it’s fight time so all the nice stuff goes out the window but I think he’s a great fighter.”

Given he beat Ivan Dychko on September 13, this represents a quick turnaround for Franklin, who had been out of the ring for 14 months. “That was a nice little layoff,” he said.

Despite admitting he was on auto-pilot against Dychko due to the death of his father in the build up, Franklin made no mistakes against the dangerous Kazakh, leaving Las Vegas with a contentious unanimous decision after 10.

And it is a new-look Franklin in 2026. Gone are his trademark dreadlocks after 11 years, in comes a new mentality for the heavyweight who knows an upset victory could well deliver him a world title shot within the next 12 months.

“It’s back to business quickly for me,” he says. “I do feel revived a little bit. I get to do what I love and I get to do it consistently. It has awakened a fire in me. And I feel faster without my hair. I move my head a little bit and it added weight to my neck. I got better motion now.

“And this is a division changing real fast. The rumours is a lot of guys will be retiring next year so it’s really going to be wide open. I see a big sea change coming and hopefully I’m next on top of that throne.”

Given the only two defeats of his career came on British soil, the country has not been a happy hunting ground for Franklin, who still insists he should have got the decision against Whyte after 12 close rounds in November 2022. Now he will arrive in Manchester better equipped to deal with his position as away fighter.

“I say this with the utmost respect,” Franklin said. “But I learned that when you fight people in their country you will never get a fair shot. You have to make those people respect you and you have to earn the win.

“A lot of people say the Dillian fight was close but I think I easily won that fight 7-5. Yes Joshua beat me, I can be a man about that.

“But now it just means I’m prepared to do whatever it takes. Whether I got to get ugly, that’s what it’s got to be. I won’t let the referee or the judges deter me or how I fight. I’m going to make the best of the situation.

“I’m so gullible about boxing that I never thought it would happen to me. I didn’t see it happen on TV so I didn’t think I’d be part of that experience. It was a real eye-opener.”

I didn't know his Dad had died in the build-up to the Dychko fight. That makes a lot of sense. He looked like his inner monologue was something along the lines of: "what's the point of this? I don't care about this. I don't know why I'm here."

Which would be the sort of thing I'd be thinking in a boxing ring after the death of a close family member, especially against an opponent who was doing everything to stop an actual fight breaking out.

[Coco]

Be interesting to see what Moses does when he can't blow them out quick.

Will he keep his foot down? And maybe blow up himself?

Or will be be mature enough to slow the pace down?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Brad Pauls: Shakiel Thompson is good, but I've got my own ambition to push on

Brad Pauls is steadily building up a resume of solid domestic names on his resume.

Ryan Kelly, Tyler Denny, Nathan Heaney, one-time world title challenger Denzel Bentley and now, he'll look to seize another unbeaten record against Queensberry's new middleweight signee Shakiel Thompson on January 24.

Their 10-round bout will feature as part of a busy undercard preceding Moses Itauma-Jermaine Franklin at Manchester's Co-Op Live Arena, live and exclusively on DAZN.

Former British 160-pound champion Pauls (20-2-1, 11 KOs) has flickered between small-hall shows and television slots over the past three years and acknowledges what's at stake later this month.

Pauls scored a split decision win over Kelly in 2022, was outpointed by Denny the following year before a surprise two-fight series with Heaney saw a split draw and final round finish in their immediate rematch for the Lonsdale belt, which he lost five months later to Bentley.

"I know Shakiel's a good fighter, relatively new on the scene, built his way up on the small-hall circuit like me, but he hasn't been massively tested yet," Pauls told The Ring when asked to assess the Sheffield puncher.

"He was backed quite highly by GBM, dealt with every little step-up so far but he hasn't boxed any of the top-10 domestic lads. It'll be a tough fight against a tall, awkward southpaw but I've got my own ambition and desire to push on."

Thompson (15-0, 11 KOs) won and defended minor WBO/IBF minor titles with stoppage wins over Vladimir Georgiev and River Wilson-Bent in 2024, before entering into negotiations for a surprise world title unification fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KOs).

Thompson's manager Kevin Maree told The Ring's John Evans that while they were made an offer, it was far below expectations for what would essentially be an away trip for Janibek's latest homecoming in Kazakhstan.

Janibek ended up blasting beyond Anauel Ngamissengue on April 5, but his immediate fighting future remains uncertain as he awaits the findings of his b-test sample this week, having failed a drug test before a three-belt unification against Erislandy Lara last month.

"We believe Shakiel is a future world champion, we don't need to just jump into a fight that we don't need to take," he said at the time.

12 months later, 'Dr Steel' will make his promotional debut in a career-best challenge against Pauls, knowing how an impressive performance can propel him to new heights.

Pauls believes the experience advantage he boasts - through wins and losses - will pay dividends, come fight night.

"In 2024, I had three main event fights with Queensberry and all at the high level. Heaney twice and then Bentley, all experience in my back pocket, which helps going into the future."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Timeline of Discussion Topics

Time Stamp | Topic
| 00:00:01–00:01:38 | Moses and Dillian Whyte relationship and fight week dynamics |
| 00:01:38–00:03:28 | Potential fight with Oleksandr Usyk and its likelihood |
| 00:03:28–00:05:23 | Declining IBF title eliminator and strategic ranking decisions |
| 00:05:23–00:07:04 | Public perception of Moses’s wins, especially over Whyte |
| 00:07:04–00:07:58 | Moses’s social media frustrations and mental health reflections |
| 00:07:58–00:09:22 | Casual talk about Essex, Chelmsford, and accents |

-----------------
Key Insights
Moses’s Relationship with Dillian Whyte: Moses emphasizes his close friendship with Dillian Whyte, clarifying that any tension or public narratives around their recent fights are personal and not related to their professional rivalry. He found the situation around their fight week uncomfortable but separates that from his own career progression.

Potential Fight with Oleksandr Usyk: Moses expresses a pragmatic attitude toward a possible fight with Usyk. He notes that if the fight happens, it happens, but he is not overly fixated on it. He acknowledges Usyk’s age (38) and suggests that while Usyk should act quickly, the fight does not need to occur immediately.

Declining the IBF Title Eliminator: Moses explains his decision to decline an IBF title eliminator fight, reportedly against Frank Sanchez or E Jaga. The main reason was the risk of losing his high rankings in multiple sanctioning bodies (WBO, WBA, WBC), with which he is currently well-ranked. His team opted to maintain his standing rather than risk dropping rankings for the IBF route.

Public Perception and Credit for Wins: Moses discusses how some critics downplay his victories, labeling opponents as “washed up” or past their prime after he defeats them. He rejects this narrative, emphasizing that his wins should be credited regardless of opponents’ perceived form. The host disagrees with the negative perception, particularly regarding the win over Dillian Whyte, describing it as a bold and commendable achievement.

Social Media and Mental Health: Moses reveals his frustration with social media negativity, considering deleting his Instagram account. He prefers to communicate only with people who have his direct contact, suggesting a focus on meaningful relationships over public opinion.

Casual Conversation on Geography: The interview ends with a lighthearted exchange about the geography and accents of Essex and Chelmsford, reflecting a relaxed rapport between the speakers.