Moses Itauma has made his feelings clear on a potential showdown with Oleksandr Usyk following another destructive performance, this time against Jermaine Franklin.
Many observers view the highly touted heavyweight as a natural successor to Usyk, and the emphatic win over the durable American in Manchester last night has only intensified talk that the 21-year-old could be ready to dethrone the Ukrainian champion.
Franklin entered the bout having never been stopped in 26 professional fights, including decision defeats to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was expected by some to provide valuable time in the ring for a rising contender who had only gone a total twelve rounds in his previous nine contests.
However, the contest proved one-sided from the opening bell. The British prospect controlled the action throughout, dropping his opponent in the third round before sealing the finish in the fifth with a perfectly timed uppercut that left Franklin out on his feet and open to the final, devastating right hand.
Focus now shifts to what comes next. When asked whether he would be willing to face the unified champion before the end of the year, the rising star did not hesitate in his response.
“If I get the opportunity”
However, that matchup appears unlikely. Usyk recently dismissed the idea of facing the young Brit, suggesting he has no interest in halting his momentum so early in his career.
“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy. I don’t want to break this guy.”
The Ukrainian is set to return to the ring on May 23, where he will face kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven. Beyond that, the champion announced that he will target the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, followed by a potential trilogy bout with Tyson Fury before bringing his career to a close.
