Moses Itauma has revealed that working with coach Ben Davison has restored his love for boxing as he prepares for the toughest fight of his career against Dillian Whyte this Saturday. The unbeaten British heavyweight, 20, has been on a destructive run, with back-to-back knockout wins over Demsey McKean and Mike Balogun following a standout victory against Mariusz Wach.
However, Itauma admitted that he began to hate the sport barely a year after his professional debut in 2022. Sparring with heavyweight names including Daniel Dubois, Joe Joyce, Tyson Fury and Lawrence Okolie led him to feel he had hit a barrier. 'I felt like I was unable to learn any more,' he said, prompting a search for a new trainer to reignite his development.
Under Davison, who previously worked with Fury and now trains Anthony Joshua, Fabio Wardley and others, Itauma discovered a more tactical side to boxing. 'He taught me there is more to boxing than punch, punch, get punched, punch back,' Itauma explained. 'There is actually a whole chess game to this.' The young fighter believes the partnership has helped him break through the plateau he had encountered.
Itauma split from former trainer Alan Smith in March 2024 despite a brutal win over Dan Garber, and subsequently tried several coaches before settling on Davison. Upon his first visit to Davison's gym, Itauma was impressed to see his own fights displayed on a screen with detailed notes. 'None of the other coaches did that,' he said, noting how Davison's tailored attention and sparring insights immediately paid off.
The 'Esports World Cup Fight Week: Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte' takes place on Saturday, August 16. The undercard begins at approximately 5:45pm UK time, with main event ringwalks expected around 10:20pm. The event will be streamed live on DAZN Pay-Per-View, priced at £19.99 in the United Kingdom.
