Boxing
Walker: Will Itauma-Franklin reveal if Briton can fill Fury and Joshua void?
Itauma vs Franklin: Subscribe to watch - TONIGHT
It’s very rare that fighters stand on the verge of superstardom after only 13 bouts, but that’s where Moses Itauma finds himself as he prepares to face Jermaine Franklin this Saturday night in front of what should be a sold-out Co-op Live Arena crowd in Manchester, live only on DAZN subscription.
Still only 21, Itauma’s path to this position has been a straightforward one and following impressive one-round blowouts of Demsey Mckean and Dillian Whyte, fighters famed for their toughness and durability, it’s up to Franklin to prove that justified hype for Itauma so far has been largely exaggerated.
If he can’t, boxing is looking at one frightening proposition.
Itauma ready to prove himself in toughest test yet!
Watch behind the scenes at Itauma's training camp
For long periods of the current heavyweight era, a prosperous age for boxing’s big men despite what the most ardent critic of the scene may say, there has been some concern what would happen when genuine box office blockbusters like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury move on.
A defining moment for Moses Itauma
For the best part of a decade, heavyweight boxing, in various parts of the world has prospered with Joshua, Fury, Deontay Wilder, and current ruler, Oleksandr Usyk, featuring in many high-profile bouts that have been well received from both entertainment and commercial standpoints.
America hosted the wonderful Wilder vs Fury trilogy. That stands as one of the fiercest rivalries of all time with all three contests providing edge of the seat action that saw both men leave everything in the ring.
Usyk’s roadshow to glory took in several regions with Britian and Saudi Arabia being the locations where the Ukrainian wizard went from rabbit to legend as he dismantled the very best that the division had to offer in the shape of Joshua, Fury, and Daniel Dubois.
And then there’s Joshua’s run on top as he brought nights to British boxing that hadn't been seen for a long time as he became a stadium, not arena, attraction, with monumental sellouts against the likes of Wladimir Klitschko and Joseph Parker.
An unforgettable period for heavyweight boxing. Perhaps only second to the 1970s where Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman vied for immortality with the thriving 1990s also worthy of an honourable mention.
These are big shoes to fill for the stars of tomorrow, but Itauma appears more than capable of trying them on and the early indications are that they suit the man from Kent and are also very comfortable.
“I’ve worked with many great fighters, but I think Moses is the one to go on and do superstar stuff. This kid is extra special,” said Francis Warren, Moses’ manager, when discussing his heavyweight charge in 2025 with DAZN News.
“Believe me, Moses is a Lionel Messi, he’s a Michael Jordan, he’s a Tiger Woods, he’s a Michael Phelps. He will go down as one of the sporting greats .”
Such praise is commonplace in boxing, a sport that has no boundaries when promotional tools go into overdrive if it helps shift a few tickets or PPVs.
Itauma's time to carry the heavyweight division
But, regardless of what is stated about the next thing, whichever promoter is pushing, the truth eventually emerges and the time to sink or swim always arrives.
For Moses, Saturday night can go a long way to telling us just how good he can be and whether he truly is the man to take the reins from the major names that went before him.
In Franklin, Itauma faces a man well known to British fight fans following two unsuccessful visits to London where he was outpointed by Joshua and Whyte.
Leigh Dawney/Queensberry
Despite the losses, Franklin easily went the distance against two renowned punchers looking to prove something and that reputation for surviving hard punchers was enhanced last year when he caused a small shock by defeating Ivan Dychko, an unbeaten Kazakh who had 14 stoppages from 15 wins.
This week, building up to the fight, Itauma’s team will speak of going the distance and getting their man much-needed rounds, but secretly they could all be hoping for the opposite.
Itauma will need to prove at one point he can go a hard 12 rounds as the calibre of opponent goes up, but that can wait for another day and another test, because stopping Franklin, and doing so emphatically will enhance Itauma’s reputation as the heir apparent a lot better than taking a points verdict.
The wily American renowned for taking the very best Joshua and Whyte had to offer succumbs to Itauma in just a few rounds is a far better story than Itauma hearing the final bell.
You may not hear those involved in guiding him say that often this week, but if it happens, and there’s a very good chance it does, Itauma will be out on his own as the man to carry the heavyweight division on his broad shoulders moving forward.
Watch Itauma vs. Franklin with a DAZN subscription
Knockout sensation Moses Itauma faces his toughest test against Jermaine Franklin this Saturday night, March 28. Watch exclusively with a DAZN Ultimate subscription to also get PPVs Chisora vs. Wilder (April 4), Wardley vs. Dubois (May 9), and Usyk vs Verhoeven (May 23) included.
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