Itauma Passes Toughest Test with a Bang, Crushing Franklin in Five

MANCHESTER, England – Moses Itauma delivered a statement performance on Saturday night, passing his toughest professional test with flying colours by brutally knocking out the durable Jermaine Franklin in the fifth round at Manchester’s Co-op Live. The 21-year-old prodigy entered the bout with a reputation for explosive power, having demolished Demsey McKean, Mike Balogun, and Dillian Whyte early in his previous three outings. Franklin, a travelling American who had previously taken both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte the distance, was brought in to provide rounds and test Itauma’s composure. Instead, he became the latest victim of the Briton’s vicious left hand. From the opening bell, Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) was spiteful, pressing Franklin against the ropes with fast feet and firing shots around the American’s guard. While Franklin (24-3, 15 KOs) showed his trademark resilience—even landing a sharp right hand in the second that briefly sprayed sweat from Itauma’s hair—he was simply outmatched by the younger man’s speed and power. Itauma began to break Franklin down in the third, sending him tumbling with a short right hand to the top of the head. Showing maturity beyond his years, the Chatham native refused to rush, instead toying with his opponent in the fourth and working the body. The end came in the fifth. A devastating left uppercut cracked into Franklin’s chin, and a follow-up blow sent the American crashing face-first to the canvas. Referee Steve Gray waved the contest off at 1:33 of the round. “I’m happy to get the win, the Lord is good,” Itauma said post-fight. “I tried to knock him out in the first and second rounds, but I thought, ‘Ahh maybe not today,’ so I went back to basics and the knockout came.” With the victory, Itauma solidified his status as the No. 1 contender with both the WBO and WBA. His promoter, Frank Warren, hinted that a world title shot is imminent. “[His next fight] will be in July,” Warren stated. “He’s No. 1 in WBO, No. 1 in WBA. There’s a lot of things happening right now, but we will sort something out. It will be a big, big fight, because he’s a big, big fighter. I’m pretty confident he’ll fight for a world title soon.” Itauma, who remained unfazed as he waved to the crowd following the knockout, admitted he had his sights set on another tough challenge. “I thought I was able to win titles, man, but I didn’t think it would be this soon,” he said. “I’m just a young boy chasing his dream. I wanted the [Filip] Hrgovic fight, but he’s boxing Dave Allen. I don’t know, we’ll go back to the drawing boards and get someone new soon.” The defeat marked the first time Franklin has been stopped in his career. For Itauma, tougher tests lie ahead, but on this evidence, the 21-year-old remains the most exciting prospect in the heavyweight division. Photo credit: Frank Warren / Facebook

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