Oleksandr Usyk’s most recent performance has left fans wondering if he could be there for the taking, and now former Usyk opponent Tony Bellew has shared his thoughts on whether Moses Itauma should pursue a fight with the Ukrainian.
Usyk suffered a close shave when he was shockingly pushed to the limit by Rico Verhoeven back in May, despite the challenger having just one prior boxing fight to his name before providing Usyk his ‘toughest fight’ to date.
Since then, 39-year-old Usyk has opted to vacate all three of his heavyweight world titles, as he begins to wind his career down, with a clash against Deontay Wilder being suggested as his farewell fight.
If Usyk wishes to leave his mark on the next generation, he could accept a showdown with Itauma, who is being tipped to be both his successor and a long-reigning heavyweight ruler.
Speaking on ‘Fight Your Corner, in partnership with Midnite’, Bellew declared that Itauma, who will face Filip Hrgovic in August, is not ready for a clash against the tactical mastermind due to the fact that he has never boxed beyond six rounds.
“Moses wouldn’t go near him at the minute. I think that it would be absolutely insane to throw Moses Itauma into Usyk after not going past six [rounds] yet.
“Would you throw a fighter like that in with someone like him [Usyk]? His game plan would be, ‘I have only got to see past six rounds with you, kid. I am going to take you to places that you have never been’.”
Bellew then went on to pump the brakes on the Itauma hype train, reminding everyone that the 21-year-old is yet to beat an elite heavyweight in his 14-fight career.
“[His] best win is Jermaine Franklin. Jermaine Franklin is known for losing.”
“That [building fighters up] is one thing that Frank [Warren] does well, nobody can knock that. He built a fighter really well, he generates the hype train to a point where there is no going back and that is where Moses is at now.”
Itauma could score a career best win when tasked with Hrgovic on Saturday, August 29, with victory over the Croatian expected to tee up either a WBA or IBF world title challenge.
