Moses Itauma’s next opponent announced for ‘Magnificent 7’ card on January 24

Shaun Brown

Moses Itauma’s next opponent announced for ‘Magnificent 7’ card on January 24
Image credit: Queensberry

Moses Itauma will have the chance to do something on January 24 that Anthony Joshua couldn’t.

The 20-year-old heavyweight sensation returns to headline the latest instalment of Frank Warren’s Magnificent Seven series at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, where he will face American contender Jermaine Franklin.

Franklin, 32, went the distance with both Dillian Whyte and Joshua in a five-month span between November 2022 and April 2023. Neither was able to drop or stop him, though both emerged victorious.

After four outings in 2024, Itauma has boxed only twice this year — keeping his streak of quick finishes alive. His second-round TKO of Mike Balogun in May was followed by a one-round demolition of Whyte in Riyadh three months later.

Originally rumoured to return on December 13, Itauma will instead wait six more weeks before resuming his knockout run. Franklin, meanwhile, enters on a three-fight winning streak since losing to Joshua but faces a major step up in class.

Elsewhere on January’s Magnificent Seven bill, light-heavyweights Willy Hutchinson and Ezra Taylor will settle their differences after a heated exchange at the Joshua Buatsi-Zach Parker show earlier this month.

Liam Davies continues his featherweight campaign against British and Commonwealth champion Zak Miller, while unbeaten middleweight Shakiel Thompson meets former British champion Brad Pauls. Nathan Heaney faces Gerome Warburton, lightweight prospect Aqib Fiaz tests himself against Jordan Flynn, and Alex Murphy takes on English super-featherweight champion Josh Holmes.

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