Moses Itauma: what’s next?

[Controversial]

I think he'll be fine. He's young and very inexperienced. I reckon there was an element of over confidence and just loading up too much on every punch. He learnt a valuable lesson. As long as it doesn't affect his confidence, which it shouldn't as he wasn't beat up he just blew a gasket, then I can't see why he does't improve.

[KiwiRider]

Well, while we are all waiting for Moses to get in the ring Irish heavyweight Adam Olaniyan fights on the Doobie/Wardley card. He's only 20 and 4-0
He was on the Katie Taylor card the other day and unlike Moses, seems he wants to get out there


And here he is in action

Quick hands, thudding punches. Watch for his sneaky right cross on the inside.

[jameswilson]

There’s no guarantee he will knuckle down and improve his stamina. It’s not an easy thing to do so far into someone’s pro career.

[keithmoonhangover]

The hype has being completely out of control from the start of his career. He was exposed last time out and it'll happen again. He's not the second coming.

[londonwar]

He could probably come back at a fairly high level. I'd put him in against Kynba. He'd probably stop kynba for a nice result over the guy who beat Andy Ruiz last time out. Other than that a first round ko of the ridiculous Nelson Hysa would look good in the rankings.

[Taansend]

I think he'll be fine. He's young and very inexperienced. I reckon there was an element of over confidence and just loading up too much on every punch. He learnt a valuable lesson. As long as it doesn't affect his confidence, which it shouldn't as he wasn't beat up he just blew a gasket, then I can't see why he does't improve.

This is a responsible answer.

Too many of here being hysterical. They picked Moses to win by kayo & when he didn't they now all suddenly see the many flaws in his attitude

He's a 21 year old kid. He was thrashing a seasoned veteran & ran out of steam.

I don't blame him for not fighting again this year. He has plenty of time &, if I was his trainer, I'd have him sign up for a half marathon or two

He already has the skills to beat everyone out there in future. He just needs more experience & to learn how to pace himself.

Dubois has been stopped three times but, now Usyk is semi retired, it's between him & Kabayal for who's the Daddy.

Ease him back with a fight against a Ruiz then move him on to an Ajagba. He needs 3 or 4 fights next year.

[Taansend]

I think he'll be fine. He's young and very inexperienced. I reckon there was an element of over confidence and just loading up too much on every punch. He learnt a valuable lesson. As long as it doesn't affect his confidence, which it shouldn't as he wasn't beat up he just blew a gasket, then I can't see why he does't improve.

This is a responsible answer.

Too many of here being hysterical. They picked Moses to win by kayo & when he didn't they now all suddenly see the many flaws in his attitude

He's a 21 year old kid. He was thrashing a seasoned veteran & ran out of steam.

I don't blame him for not fighting again this year. He has plenty of time &, if I was his trainer, I'd have him sign up for a half marathon or two

He already has the skills to beat everyone out there in future. He just needs more experience & to learn how to pace himself.

Dubois has been stopped three times but, now Usyk is semi retired, it's between him & Kabayal for who's the Daddy.

Ease him back with a fight against a Ruiz then move him on to an Ajagba. He needs 3 or 4 fights next year.

[joshj909]

Zhang would be the ideal next step for Itauma if he wants to make a statement. He has absolutely no gas tank after 3 rounds but he's tough to stop as he has an iron chin. I think Zhang is trying to get a fight in China before he officially retires though.

[overhand_right]

I think people underestimate the traumatic effect the fight is likely to have on Itauma. It was his coronation. Massive audience and media interest. He wound up unable to walk and carried out on a stretcher.

You're very naive if you think he can just shake that off and come again. Every time a guy hangs around and presses him the Ghosts of Knockouts Past will be conjured up. Has anyone ever been stretchered out and come back to have an amazing career?

[JamesPhilips]

I think people underestimate the traumatic effect the fight is likely to have on Itauma. It was his coronation. Massive audience and media interest. He wound up unable to walk and carried out on a stretcher.

You're very naive if you think he can just shake that off and come again. Every time a guy hangs around and presses him the Ghosts of Knockouts Past will be conjured up. Has anyone ever been stretchered out and come back to have an amazing career?

Exactly. And the last couple of rounds must have been excruciating. Being absolutely exhausted as to hardly being able to stand whilst the T-800 walks you down and clubs you around the head…. Before collapsing and being stretchered. It must’ve been frightening and demoralising.

I was always worried Itauma’s heart wasn’t fully into boxing. Not sure why. I just got this vibe. We’ll see. Something will have to change though as he can’t fight like that every fight. Possibly needs to look at his training. Improve his fitness.

[TheLeprechaun]

It doesn't matter how fit he is if he blows his wad in the first 4 rounds. He needs to learn about pacing a fight. Just doing loads of sprints to get yourself into optimal cardio isn't enough if you can't manage it efficiently.

[overhand_right]

I think people underestimate the traumatic effect the fight is likely to have on Itauma. It was his coronation. Massive audience and media interest. He wound up unable to walk and carried out on a stretcher.

You're very naive if you think he can just shake that off and come again. Every time a guy hangs around and presses him the Ghosts of Knockouts Past will be conjured up. Has anyone ever been stretchered out and come back to have an amazing career?

Exactly. And the last couple of rounds must have been excruciating. Being absolutely exhausted as to hardly being able to stand whilst the T-800 walks you down and clubs you around the head…. Before collapsing and being stretchered. It must’ve been frightening and demoralising.

I was always worried Itauma’s heart wasn’t fully into boxing. Not sure why. I just got this vibe. We’ll see. Something will have to change though as he can’t fight like that every fight. Possibly needs to look at his training. Improve his fitness.

I agree. Boxing just seems like something he does and, for him, at the level he was fighting at, it was easy. But that propelled him into a serious fight against a dangerous bloke with a lot of experience and suddenly he found himself in a torrid fight.

On the way up his body always looked soft and his demeanour and interviews didn't give me the impression that he was a steely professional. Other people have said that he's on record as not really liking boxing. I don't see him loving the pain and subjecting himself to torturous camps like the elite fighters do. Not convinced it's in him. Might be wrong.

[craig_minter]

Realistically it will need to be someone who has low workrate, isn't a puncher and has a chin that can hold up to 8 / 10 rounds.

Admittedly none of that will matter if he doesn't start to learning about pacing himself and ensuring the cardio is spot on.

If it was a name, maybe Hughie Fury, but anyone durable would realistically do.

[Eolaithe]

Moses Itauma’s trainer, Ben Davison, has had a difficult run in major fights, with Anthony Joshua, Leigh Wood, Fabio Wardley and Itauma all suffering high-profile defeats in the last couple of years.

Wardley and Itauma’s losses were particularly similar. Both started well and built leads, but expended too much energy, faded badly and were eventually stopped late.

That raises a reasonable question about whether fighters such as Wardley and Itauma might benefit from incorporating more traditional, old-school boxing methods.

Davison often seems too analytical, overcomplicates things, and doesn’t give simple, clear instructions between rounds.

Davison’s instructions to Itauma between rounds for the Filip Hrgović fight were poorly articulated — such as “do more by doing less” — were arguably less direct than simply telling an exhausted 21-year-old to take a round off or slow down, pace himself, stop looking for the knockout and concentrate on getting through the round.

Itauma’s preparation also attracted criticism. Three weeks before the Hrgović fight, he told talkSPORT that he had never completed a full 12-round spar. Surely this particular issue was Davison’s fault?

New school boxing techniques, such as plyometrics, lifting weights and sprints, doesn’t guarantee a boxer can handle a 12‑round fight - a fighter needs to know what it feels like to box when they’re exhausted.

To be clear, I’m not blaming Ben Davison for the Hrgović defeat, but in terms of “what's next?”, I do feel that Moses Itauma should consider working with a new trainer.

[mickey1975]

Jack Massey would be a good comeback.

[JamesPhilips]

Jack Massey would be a good comeback.

Not a bad call but I think he’d get folded in 5.

[golden_labrador]

Moses Itauma’s trainer, Ben Davison, has had a difficult run in major fights, with Anthony Joshua, Leigh Wood, Fabio Wardley and Itauma all suffering high-profile defeats in the last couple of years.

Wardley and Itauma’s losses were particularly similar. Both started well and built leads, but expended too much energy, faded badly and were eventually stopped late.

That raises a reasonable question about whether fighters such as Wardley and Itauma might benefit from incorporating more traditional, old-school boxing methods.

Davison often seems too analytical, overcomplicates things, and doesn’t give simple, clear instructions between rounds.

Davison’s instructions to Itauma between rounds for the Filip Hrgović fight were poorly articulated — such as “do more by doing less” — were arguably less direct than simply telling an exhausted 21-year-old to take a round off or slow down, pace himself, stop looking for the knockout and concentrate on getting through the round.

Itauma’s preparation also attracted criticism. Three weeks before the Hrgović fight, he told talkSPORT that he had never completed a full 12-round spar. Surely this particular issue was Davison’s fault?

New school boxing techniques, such as plyometrics, lifting weights and sprints, doesn’t guarantee a boxer can handle a 12‑round fight - a fighter needs to know what it feels like to box when they’re exhausted.

To be clear, I’m not blaming Ben Davison for the Hrgović defeat, but in terms of “what's next?”, I do feel that Moses Itauma should consider working with a new trainer.

AI again

[golden_labrador]

Realistically it will need to be someone who has low workrate, isn't a puncher and has a chin that can hold up to 8 / 10 rounds.

Admittedly none of that will matter if he doesn't start to learning about pacing himself and ensuring the cardio is spot on.

If it was a name, maybe Hughie Fury, but anyone durable would realistically do.

I'd love to see this but Hughie might feel like he's being served up on a plate. he's not really fought anyone live since Povetkin

[Ruthless-RKO]

Davison is unbeaten in rematches.

3–0

[Old bones Ian]

Maybe he just doesn't have the engine, kind of Ernie Shavers style.
Can take anyone out early but last into the later rounds and the engine runs out of fuel.
I thought Moses had the signs of fatigue from round 6 onwards and empty in the last 2 rounds of the fight

[overhand_right]

Maybe he just doesn't have the engine, kind of Ernie Shavers style.
Can take anyone out early but last into the later rounds and the engine runs out of fuel.
I thought Moses had the signs of fatigue from round 6 onwards and empty in the last 2 rounds of the fight

With full camps Shavers went 15 and 12 versus Ali and Holmes at a pace. I think his stamina issues came from being thrown into fights at short notice. By Holmes 2 he's getting old.

I couldn't imagine Moses going 15 with anyone under any conditions.

[Old bones Ian]

Maybe he just doesn't have the engine, kind of Ernie Shavers style.
Can take anyone out early but last into the later rounds and the engine runs out of fuel.
I thought Moses had the signs of fatigue from round 6 onwards and empty in the last 2 rounds of the fight

With full camps Shavers went 15 and 12 versus Ali and Holmes at a pace. I think his stamina issues came from being thrown into fights at short notice. By Holmes 2 he's getting old.

I couldn't imagine Moses going 15 with anyone under any conditions.

Good points thanks.
Yeah it's going on the Lyles fight and late on ones v Cobb etc.
You are absolutely correct that 15 and 12 rounds against Ali and Holmes is something I couldn't see Moses doing.

[Coco]

It's more his lack of pacing himself which was the issue

[SeanBrennan]

It's more his lack of pacing himself which was the issue

True he can learn from this he’s so young

[Coco]

It's more his lack of pacing himself which was the issue

True he can learn from this he’s so young

For me, the biggest thing he will have to conquer now is confidence