Moses Itauma

[Coco]

He's beaten no one with a pulse yet. Dempsey up next, but he himself has beaten no one.

Dempsey was competitive enough v Hrgovic, I think it's a good fight for Moses.

Moses needs rounds, Wach should have guaranteed round but lost in 2, Dempsey should guarantee rounds too, a higher quality rounds, so hopefully it's not going to be an early night

If so Moses will be needed to be chucked into world class just to get rounds under his belt!

I think Dempsey is a great fight for Itauma at this stage. Good matchmaking. I don’t know how anyone can have a problem with that fight.

100%

My main concern is that he wins early, and will blow away fringe contenders leaving him short of experience when he starts swimming in the deep end.

I don't actually see him as a one shot banger at very top level, and I think he will need the rounds, competitive rounds, at that level.

[JamesPhilips]

Dempsey was competitive enough v Hrgovic, I think it's a good fight for Moses.

Moses needs rounds, Wach should have guaranteed round but lost in 2, Dempsey should guarantee rounds too, a higher quality rounds, so hopefully it's not going to be an early night

If so Moses will be needed to be chucked into world class just to get rounds under his belt!

I think Dempsey is a great fight for Itauma at this stage. Good matchmaking. I don’t know how anyone can have a problem with that fight.

100%

My main concern is that he wins early, and will blow away fringe contenders leaving him short of experience when he starts swimming in the deep end.

I don't actually see him as a one shot banger at very top level, and I think he will need the rounds, competitive rounds, at that level.

Agreed but FW is experienced and very good at matchmaking. But sometimes a bit too careful. Itauma is one of the hardest fighters to match because of what you mention. But he has gone the distance with two journeymen so surely they can find a limited but tough heavy to take him rounds. (Wach wasn’t the one )

Maybe I’m not thinking right but after Dempsey and a couple more, how about a Joe Joyce fight?

[Coco]

I think Dempsey is a great fight for Itauma at this stage. Good matchmaking. I don’t know how anyone can have a problem with that fight.

100%

My main concern is that he wins early, and will blow away fringe contenders leaving him short of experience when he starts swimming in the deep end.

I don't actually see him as a one shot banger at very top level, and I think he will need the rounds, competitive rounds, at that level.

Agreed but FW is experienced and very good at matchmaking. But sometimes a bit too careful. Itauma is one of the hardest fighters to match because of what you mention. But he has gone the distance with two journeymen so surely they can find a limited but tough heavy to take him rounds. (Wach wasn’t the one )

Maybe I’m not thinking right but after Dempsey and a couple more, how about a Joe Joyce fight?

It's one thing getting good journeymen over 6 rounds who cover up and spoil, allowing the prospect to fight at their own pace.

While this is a necessary part of their education, finding someone who isn't going to win, but take them out of their comfort zone is another.

Dempsey gave Hrgovic a reasonable test, a good opponent for him.

Now let's see Moses's level, I think this will give us a decent idea.

As I said, if he wins early, it's gonna be real difficult to find him testing fights to swim with the sharks

[JamesPhilips]

100%

My main concern is that he wins early, and will blow away fringe contenders leaving him short of experience when he starts swimming in the deep end.

I don't actually see him as a one shot banger at very top level, and I think he will need the rounds, competitive rounds, at that level.

Agreed but FW is experienced and very good at matchmaking. But sometimes a bit too careful. Itauma is one of the hardest fighters to match because of what you mention. But he has gone the distance with two journeymen so surely they can find a limited but tough heavy to take him rounds. (Wach wasn’t the one )

Maybe I’m not thinking right but after Dempsey and a couple more, how about a Joe Joyce fight?

It's one thing getting good journeymen over 6 rounds who cover up and spoil, allowing the prospect to fight at their own pace.

While this is a necessary part of their education, finding someone who isn't going to win, but take them out of their comfort zone is another.

Dempsey gave Hrgovic a reasonable test, a good opponent for him.

Now let's see Moses's level, I think this will give us a decent idea.

As I said, if he wins early, it's gonna be real difficult to find him testing fights to swim with the sharks

Is this a ten rounder? Boxrec has a question mark

[Coco]

Agreed but FW is experienced and very good at matchmaking. But sometimes a bit too careful. Itauma is one of the hardest fighters to match because of what you mention. But he has gone the distance with two journeymen so surely they can find a limited but tough heavy to take him rounds. (Wach wasn’t the one )

Maybe I’m not thinking right but after Dempsey and a couple more, how about a Joe Joyce fight?

It's one thing getting good journeymen over 6 rounds who cover up and spoil, allowing the prospect to fight at their own pace.

While this is a necessary part of their education, finding someone who isn't going to win, but take them out of their comfort zone is another.

Dempsey gave Hrgovic a reasonable test, a good opponent for him.

Now let's see Moses's level, I think this will give us a decent idea.

As I said, if he wins early, it's gonna be real difficult to find him testing fights to swim with the sharks

Is this a ten rounder? Boxrec has a question mark

Dunno, I hope it's over 12. If it's over 10 it's because that's what FW wants

[gregregegg]

Dempsey is a perfect step.

After that I see plenty of good options given itamu should have solid financial backing.

Franklin, Otto, hunter, chisora, miller, hughie, Goodal, Shaw, Chaney, dacres, wardly, Zakhozhyi.

These are all decent options itamus next 3 or 4 fights. Who, what and when to be determined…

( to me Franklin is the best option because stopping him would be a huge statement)

Add char if there is a “WBA world title” for the story line…

[mickey1975]

Joshua has about 40-50 confirmed ko losses in sparring. Every British heavyweight seems to have ko’d him at some point.

The way he's looked recently that'll probably be his reality soon!

lol but honestly I’ve never known such a successful fighter have so many claims to have been kod in sparring (Having said that, I didn’t believe the Dubois story, but I definitely do now )

Anthony Fowler swore blind he was there and it was true. I like it when the guys with nothing to gain from saying it say stuff.

[joshj909]

The way he's looked recently that'll probably be his reality soon!

lol but honestly I’ve never known such a successful fighter have so many claims to have been kod in sparring (Having said that, I didn’t believe the Dubois story, but I definitely do now )

Anthony Fowler swore blind he was there and it was true. I like it when the guys with nothing to gain from saying it say stuff.

It's mad that Joshua with the KO record he has and the level he's been fighting at hasn't claimed to knockout any of his sparring partners. It's fine saying that they dominated the sparring or they won it or whatever but talking about specific moments or flaws in their game isn't classy. It's almost like they have no class and are trying to use his name for clout. Unless they are responding to a sparring story, I usually dislike a boxer when they start telling their own.

[funso banjo baby]

Demsey was awful in his first step up.

Held for dear life.

Let's hope he doesn't make itauma look bad by hugging all night.

I suspect Demsey may well look for a quick way out if he gets tagged early, his career isn't going anywhere now.

[Sammy Scaff]

Moses will get him out of there double quick.

Next!

[Ruthless-RKO]

Moses Itauma and Demsey McKean on what their rematch clause means, or doesn’t

This weekend’s fight between unbeaten heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma and once-beaten Demsey McKean has a rematch clause – which McKean says Itauma’s team inserted into the contract.
And the 34-year-old McKean is taking that as a confidence booster for himself, and perhaps a sign that his 19-year-old opponent may not be everything that he’s expected to be.

“It’s very interesting that maybe they don’t have this 100% faith in their fighter,” McKean said in an interview with Andi Purewal of Boxing News. “It’s not even a world title fight, and they’re opting for rematch clauses.”

Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) is being highly touted and strongly pushed. He’s been pretty active since turning pro at the start of 2023. Itauma fought on the undercards of Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk I in May and Derek Chisora vs. Joe Joyce in July. That last appearance saw Itauma take out the long-faded former title challenger Mariusz Wach in two rounds in July.
This fight with McKean will take place this Saturday in Riyadh on the undercard of Usyk-Fury II.

McKean, 22-1 (14 KOs) is coming off a long layoff, with more than 16 months passing since his 12th-round knockout loss to Filip Hrgovic in August 2023.

Itauma, meanwhile, says he didn’t even know there was a rematch clause – and that it doesn’t matter.

“One thing I don’t like about boxing is the rematch clauses,” Itauma told Purewal. “I’m not even thinking about Demsey McKean beating me one bit. Obviously I know that it could happen, but I’m not thinking about it. [...] If I do lose to Demsey McKean, I’ll have bigger questions asking myself than the rematch.”

[joshj909]

After beating McKean, who should he face next?

Hughie? Whyte? Chisora? Huni? Wardley? Joyce? Ajagba?

[margaret thatcher]

that was super impressive. compare it to hrgovic's long haul with mckean

i am being convinced by moses now. key is getting in some rounds. need to find someone durable even if they name value isnt as great. granted they tried that with wach but he was well shopworn.

could they go for pulev's wba trinket to pull the youngest champ nonsense?

[margaret thatcher]

btw i like moses a lot from his interviews. he doesnt have an ego, and while still being confident he is completely realistic. acknowledging that he's not unbeatable and that even with his talent he needs to be fully prepared or it could be a slip up. i do like the guys who are more in touch with reality

[ewenhay]

He looks exciting, just a novice though really. Hopefully he keeps the head screwed on and continues to develop his game.

[CaptainSpacerod]

Won't happen but i'd like to see him fight Richard Torres, would be fun while it lasted

[margaret thatcher]

that would be a slobberknocker

[KiwiRider]

Richard Torrez would be interesting as an opponent

[gregregegg]

Moses is a tricky one. I think you pay the big bucks and get him pulev for the WBA reg belt… you can claim he is the youngest world champ ever to the casuals.

If not you fight wardly for the bittish.

Or Jermaine Franklin to try get decent quality rounds.

[margaret thatcher]

go for pulev and get dat youngest champ hype and headlines, even if it's kinda bogus. pulev is old but still technically seems decent, could be good experience regardless of whatever bauble is attached. the stars might align for moses on this one, might as well go for it if they can get it.

there are some safe defenses they could make, or always dump the belt if it's too constraining

[Ricky]

After beating McKean, who should he face next?

Hughie? Whyte? Chisora? Huni? Wardley? Joyce? Ajagba?

No chance he fights anyone off that calibre next, although I'd love it if he did.

[big lennox]

btw i like moses a lot from his interviews. he doesnt have an ego, and while still being confident he is completely realistic. acknowledging that he's not unbeatable and that even with his talent he needs to be fully prepared or it could be a slip up. i do like the guys who are more in touch with reality

Yes, he comes over as a very thoughtful young man. He is so talented as well.

[Lenny Cravats]

Sanchez might not be a bad fight for him.

[Coco]

After beating McKean, who should he face next?

Hughie? Whyte? Chisora? Huni? Wardley? Joyce? Ajagba?

No chance he fights anyone off that calibre next, although I'd love it if he did.

Chisora, Whyte and Joyce might take retirement money as none are likely to fight for the title again.

But then it all depends on Uysk, he has nothing to prove, no one to fight, more money than he could have dreamt of, if the titles fragment, everyone might have a go!

[coneye]

It was a good win on paper , but Mckean and the Aussies long ago learned how to play the game , especielly the big boys , Repham boxing club probably has more heavyweights than the whole of Aust so build up a record of wins , then grab a couple of big money fights based on your win record .

Good on them but the win does'nt mean much except a number on Moses record , so at 19 i expect Franks not going to risk his prospect for quite some time yet , so definetly don't hold your breath for a big name , One i would like to see is Moses v Huni that would be interesting and tell us where Moses is at , if he can do the same to Huni i think the English have a real good prospect on there hands , Huni i don't think hits hard enough for the heavys but he can box a bit .

makes it interesting though Frank has Moses , and Eddie just signed Teremoana Jr who i would suspect throw him in with Mclean and he will do a job just has quick , will these two prospects meet or will there promoters swerve like crazy , Personaly i think Frank will rap Moses up in cotton wool , and wait for the big guns to get too old and retire , At 19 Moses has the time does he have the paitence