Oleksandr Usyk has identified Moses Itauma as the next potential heavyweight champion, snubbing British fighters Daniel Dubois, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. The Ukrainian, who has defeated all three, believes the 21-year-old prospect has a bright future in the division.
Usyk, who retained his heavyweight titles with a knockout win over Dubois in his last fight, has three bouts remaining before retirement. He faces kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on Saturday, live on DAZN. When asked by talkSPORT who could become the next undisputed champion, Usyk said: "Moses Itauma, I think is a great fighter. Young. 20 years old. I think Itauma has a big future."
Itauma, born in Slovakia and based in Kent, holds an unbeaten record of 14-0, most recently stopping Jermaine Franklin in March. He currently holds the WBA International and WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight titles. Fury, who sparred with Itauma in 2024, previously called him "the future of the heavyweight division" on Instagram.
Itauma has expressed ambitions to become the youngest heavyweight world champion, surpassing Mike Tyson's record. His promoter, Frank Warren, praised his talent, saying: "At his age, he is without a doubt the most talented and the best I've seen at this moment in time." Warren expects Itauma to be challenging for a world title later this year.
