Moses Itauma could be in line for a world title opportunity against a heavyweight that has recently derailed another unbeaten star’s career.
Itauma is viewed by many as the future of the heavyweight division, after winning all 14 of his fights to date, 12 of them coming by knockout.
The likes of Dillian Whyte, Jermaine Franklin and and Demsey McKean have all been beaten inside the distance by Itauma, and the youngster is set for his toughest test so far when he takes on Filip Hrgovic at the O2 Arena in London on August 29.
If victorious there, the 21-year-old could then be set for a shot at a world title, after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his WBC, WBA and IBF straps, meaning there are several opportunities to capture one of those belts.
It is a man who is ranked at number one with the IBF who now believes he could share the ring with Itauma, after Frank Sanchez’s manager Mike Borao told Sky Sports that they are expecting the match-up.
“My expectation is that Moses Itauma could possibly be Frank Sanchez’s opponent in the near future, but we will have to wait and see who he ultimately fights next for the vacant title.
“I was surprised when Moses initially turned down the final eliminator against Frank recently. Moses is an incredible talent with massive upside. I myself am a fan of Moses, but a fight with Frank is probably a bit too soon, since he is young and there are other paths to a title for him.
“Frank Sanchez will become the first Cuban heavyweight champion in 2026, no matter who he boxes for the vacant title.”
As mentioned, Sanchez and Itauma were recently linked to an IBF final eliminator, but the Brit chose another path. Instead, Sanchez took on Richard Torrez Jr last month, inflicting a brutal second-round knockout win to hand Torrez his first defeat.
Itauma is also ranked number one with the WBO and WBA, along with three with the WBC, so there are certainly many options available to him as he continues his move towards world honours.
