Boxing
Ex-world champ believes Moses Itauma can dominate for years if he passes the chin test
Itauma vs Whyte - Saturday - only on DAZN PPV
Darren Barker is confident Moses Itauma has what it takes to dominate the heavyweight division for years to come.
But as Itauma, 20, prepares to put his undefeated record on the line against Dillian Whyte in Riyadh on Saturday night, live on DAZN PPV, Barker admits one major question mark hangs over the southpaw.
In an exclusive interview with DAZN, the former IBF world middleweight champ told us: “He’s not been tested yet. He’s not been hit yet. But Oleksandr Usyk doesn’t get hit much.
“Other than the chin test, he’s passed each one. He hasn’t lost as an amateur or pro, is an exceptional talent and has accuracy and power that’s getting better with every fight.
“He’s blossoming and looking absolutely primed to be the future of heavyweight boxing.
“There’s just that question of whether he can take a shot. If Itauma destroys Whyte, we’ve got a real star on our hands.”
DAZNDespite his underdog status, Whyte, 37, could be the perfect man to test Itauma’s durability.
And while Barker is excited to see Itauma allay any lingering fears about his chin, the DAZN pundit also wants to discover whether boxing’s rising star has the desire to dig deep when the going gets tough.
He added: “I’ve seen a lot of his interviews and this doesn’t appear to be his be all and end all. He doesn’t say, ‘I love boxing, I live and breathe it, I’ve wanted this since I was a kid’.
“It’s almost as if this talent has landed on his lap and he’s riding with it.
“When it gets hard, and it will at some point in his career, how much he is willing to push and go through those walls?
“For me, boxing was everything and the thought of not winning a [world] title killed me. I was willing to get up, I was willing to break through walls to fulfil my dreams.
“If it’s not a dream of his, is he willing to go that extra yard?
“If he is, we’re looking at the future for the next 10 years if he wishes to go on that long. We won’t know until he’s in those tough fights.
“I really look forward to finding out. If he does pass those tests, he’s the future.”
Watch Itauma vs Whyte live on DAZN
Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte is live and exclusive on DAZN PPV this Saturday, August 16. Watch the PPV for free by purchasing a DAZN annual subscription (exc. US).
For more information, pricing and to buy click here.
