Moses Itauma might have walked to the ring at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday as a prospect – that’s a very generous might – but he walked out of it as a heavyweight contender and the new boogeyman of the division.
Itauma, a 20-year-old southpaw of Nigerian and Slovakian descent who calls the UK home, didn’t just headline his first show in Riyadh. He instantly became one of boxing’s must-see attractions, destroying veteran Dillian Whyte inside a round.
Was Itauma, now 13-0 (11 KOs), expected to win? Sure. But after mowing down 10 of his first 12 opponents in two rounds or less – including his past eight – Itauma was supposed to be tested by a 37-year-old who, despite being shopworn, had previously lost only to former undisputed heavyweight champs Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and respected contender Alexander Povetkin.
Instead, Itauma possibly put a capper on the career of Whyte, 31-4 (21 KOs) – who one day might be able to tell his grandkids that he fought three undisputed heavyweight champs during his career.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves, of course, but it’s hard not to be bullish about the bounty of gifts Itauma already displays in the ring. On Saturday, he began by blinding Whyte with a double jab – the veteran brought some of it on himself, raising his back hand so high in defense as to cover his face with his forearm – which allowed Itauma to hammer home a left to the body. The sequence forced Whyte backwards, who waded back in – flat-footed – and paid for it right away.
Whyte poked harmlessly with a jab, and Itauma ripped him with a counter right hook over the top, then pounced again at the body, stabbing Whyte’s midsection with a poleaxe of a left hand that momentarily doubled him over. Whyte took it relatively well, but he wasn’t ready for what came next: Itauma offered a jab feint, a left cross and one of the most devastatingly powerful right hands you’ll see from a southpaw – all in little more than an eye blink.
Now in deep, churning waters, Whyte was flailing, propping his arms forward that was more a plea than protection. He managed to slip a jab and hook from Itauma, but Whyte stayed down and Itauma loaded up on a left hand that stung the crown of his head.
Whyte covered up and backed into the ropes as Itamua stalked. Time had come to settle the ledger with “The Body Snatcher,” who fought off a pair of probing jabs and a left hand that was likely a trial balloon sent out ahead of the real thing. With Whyte ducking deeply, butt on the ropes, Itauma launched a right hand from his toes that sent Whyte stutter-stepping into the corner.
Itauma followed, thunking a nasty right hook to Whyte’s ribs, doubling up on the left upstairs, then unleashing two-handed fury that darkened whatever was left of Whyte’s dim hopes. A left hand from Itauma down the middle would have dropped many heavyweights. Whyte hung on, and absorbed another. When Itauma, now plotting his shot selection and location, found Whyte’s chin with a hooking right hand, Whyte went down like a bag of hammers, falling to knees and elbows. He was able to rise to his feet but, despite his protestations, was utterly unable to continue. Referee Mikael Hook rightfully made the call at 1 minute and 59 seconds of the first.
For Itauma, there will be greater battles ahead – but likely also grander glory. If he isn’t yet ready for Fury, Joshua or current undisputed king Oleksandr Usyk, he will be soon. All three may be gone, headed off into retirement, before a matchup can be made with the division’s most dangerous up-and-comer. In that case, it may make for a clean break between the old guard and a heavyweight reign boxing has rarely seen but is desperately eager to know again.
Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Chicago Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.
