Time To Believe The Hype? Itauma Hits Big Stage

Moses Itauma v Dillian Whyte

Venue: ANB Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Date: Saturday, 16 August

Coverage: Follow unrecorded matter commentary and perceive connected BBC 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app from 19:30 BST earlier switching to BBC Radio 5 Live from 22:00.

An undefeated southpaw pinch speedy hands, bully feet and axenic power. Sound familiar?

Undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk is nan king of nan heavyweight section pinch those attributes, but rising British prima Moses Itauma is likewise blessed and has his sights group connected domination successful nan adjacent 12 months.

Itauma, 20, erstwhile famously claimed he wanted to beat Mike Tyson's record of becoming nan youngest ever heavyweight champion.

That opportunity has now passed, but he still has nan world astatine his feet aft an undefeated commencement to life arsenic a professional, earning 10 knockouts from his 12 wins.

The hype train has near nan position - and triumph against Dillian Whyte successful Saudi Arabia connected Saturday would put Itauma connected way for a imaginable title shot.

"Usyk would beryllium good, but I deliberation Joseph Parker aliases Agit Kabayel astir apt merit it," Itauma told BBC Sport.

"But who deserves anything? You get what you negotiate, not what you deserve."

Itauma was unbeaten successful 24 fights arsenic an amateur, winning 11 by knockout, and was highly dressed up - earning golden medals astatine schools and juniors levels, past astatine nan younker Europeans and nan Heavyweight Youth World Championships.

Before turning 16, he was sparring pinch erstwhile cruiserweight world champion and existent heavyweight Lawrence Okolie.

So it is nary astonishment he has transitioned neatly into nan master ranks - going beyond nan 2nd information connected conscionable 2 occasions.

Itauma burst connected to nan segment pinch a 23-second knockout successful his 2023 debut and has passed each trial pinch flying colours.

But his resume presently lacks a large name.

Boxing coach Dave Coldwell, who trained world champion Tony Bellew, has seen galore highly rated youngsters travel and spell but feels Itauma is different.

"I don't get excessively excited astir prospects because complete nan years we've seen truthful galore prospects we opportunity will beryllium nan caller shape of boxing aliases nan adjacent superstar," Coldwell told BBC Sport.

"Once you person nan small measurement up, past you spot nan limitations and they don't unrecorded up to nan hype."

In nan lawsuit of Itauma, Coldwell said: "I'm really excited astir him. I deliberation that nan hype is justified connected his terms. He's not hyping it up. He's conscionable speaking from a matter of soul assurance and realism. So I deliberation nan hype is justified, 100%."

Itauma acknowledges erstwhile dreams of taking Tyson's grounds arsenic nan youngest heavyweight champion were "naive".

Although past comments drew eyes towards him, he has not allowed nan immense magnitude of attraction he receives to spell to his head.

"I understand why [there is hype] but it's not my occupation to," Itauma said.

"My occupation is to get successful nan ringing and conflict and time off each that benignant of praise to group extracurricular nan ring.

"I cognize if I spell to furniture coming and aftermath up tomorrow past I still person to play nan Moses Itauma role. Whereas you guys mightiness spell to furniture hating Moses Itauma and aftermath up loving him. I don't want to beryllium basing my sentiment of myself connected what different group think."

Boxing has ever required its stars to supply intermezo connected some sides of nan ropes. Itauma does that.

"He isn't hyper and excessively excitable aliases successful your face, but he's 1 of those guys who oozes assurance without trying," Coldwell said.

"He's sewage afloat belief successful his ability. He's chilled, but you cognize erstwhile nan clip comes he could driblet successful a fewer one-liners.

"He has a charisma and nan one-liners which could return him from a boxing prima to a mainstream star. Which is truthful important."

Most 20-year-old boxers would beryllium building towards nationalist and European titles - erstwhile heavyweight champion Tyson Fury was 21 erstwhile he won nan English loop - but Itauma has skipped that way and is aiming consecutive for nan top.

Fellow Britons Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois person gone connected to go world champions. Itauma has exceeded what they had achieved successful nan master ranks by his age.

All 3 enjoyed undefeated starts to their careers, but Dubois was 21 erstwhile he won his 12th fight, Fury was 22 and Joshua was 25.

However, early occurrence for Itauma by nary intends guarantees early gold.

Itauma has been cautiously managed complete nan past 2 years and Whyte, albeit astatine nan property of 37, is group to beryllium nan biggest sanction he has faced.

"Yes, it is nan correct clip [to look Whyte] and I only opportunity that because it isn't nan incorrect time," Itauma said.

"Everyone needs a breakthrough fight. AJ had it pinch Charles Martin, Tyson Fury had it pinch Deontay Wilder, truthful I conjecture this is my breakthrough fight."

Taking connected Whyte, a erstwhile WBC interim champion who has fought Fury, Joshua and Joseph Parker, undoubtedly offers Itauma nan level to move to nan adjacent level of his career, but only if he gets nan win.

Saturday will beryllium nan first clip Itauma has headlined a paper arsenic a professional. If he delivers connected nan large stage, he could soon find himself successful pinch WBO interim champion Parker aliases moreover Usyk.