Moses Itauma made history by becoming the first fighter to stop Jermaine Franklin, delivering a brutal knockout in the fifth round of their heavyweight clash in Manchester. The 21-year-old British prospect, now 14-0, dropped Franklin in the third round before finishing the bout with a devastating left uppercut followed by a right hand that sent the American crashing face-first to the canvas.
Franklin, who had previously gone the distance with Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in the UK, was unable to withstand Itauma's power and speed. Referee Steve Gray immediately waved off the contest as Itauma bowed to the sold-out crowd at the Co-op Live Arena.
Speaking after the fight, Itauma described Franklin as the 'final piece of the puzzle' before a world title challenge. He expressed interest in facing Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO belts, but acknowledged the need to respect the pecking order. Promoter Frank Warren indicated Itauma would likely have one more tune-up fight in July before a world title bid later in the year.
