MOSES Itauma seeks to confirm his status as the heavyweight division’s next big thing when he takes on grizzled old boot Dillian Whyte in Riyadh on Saturday evening.
Itauma’s early career ambitions of beating Mike Tyson’s record as the youngest heavyweight champion have been tempered and now he’s steadily working on his craft, picking up names and stylistic experiences. After polishing off Demsey McKean and Mike Balogun, Dillian Whyte feels like the right opponent at this stage of the Kent crusher’s career.
‘The Bodysnatcher’ has found himself in some big fights, on big nights, raking in plenty of Pay-Per-View coin. Dillian has taken full advantage of his talents both in and out of the ring, maximising his earning potential, finding a space for himself within his era.
The domestic rivalries with Anthony Joshua (forged in the amateurs, carried into the pros), Derek Chisora (two nice paydays and victories that aged well) and a Stadium loss to Tyson Fury have filled Whyte’s pockets.
He has wins, lest we forget, over Joseph Parker (another that has aged beautifully), Alexander Povetkin (barely, given the Russian’s rematch condition, but still…), Oscar Rivas and Jermaine Franklin. It’s been 14 years of fruitful gains.
But that has all come to an end. The 37-year-old’s Riyadh rumble, live on DAZN, is a swansong affair on a ladder to the top level. One man climbing, another clinging on as the rungs become slippier.
Itauma is 17 years younger, 12-0 with 10 KOs, aspiring to hit those same heights that Whyte once scaled. First, he must nudge old Dill out the way and continue his scurrying ascent towards Oleksandr Usyk, or whoever is left by the time he gets there.
If Whyte were a cagey old veteran, akin to James Toney or Oliver McCall, who is comfortable rolling, spoiling, and covering up, I’d be keener on his chances of reaching the second half of the fight. Whyte will fancy he can crack a few hooks to the head and body, testing Itauma out early.
While that’s exactly what we need to see (someone who hits back), that will also be his downfall. Itauma’s hands are fast and powerful. If Whyte doesn’t get his back in defensive mode quickly enough, he’ll cop a heavy one, or two, or three pretty swiftly. Then we’ll see what he’s got left.
The bookies have Whyte as an underdog. A sizeable one at that. At his best, he was a big old lump; durable, experienced on the big stage. Unfortunately, his best has drifted off into the Red Sea.
Whyte’s three losses have all come by knockout. I wonder, however, given the lack of meaningful action on his recent record, occasionally punctuated by sluggish wins over slovenly operators, whether Whyte can still hold the same shots as before. The signs do not look too promising.
Moses Itauma vs. Dillian Whyte Fight Prediction
It feels like this is all about scraping the final drops of valuable juice from the Whyte name while it still means something. That’s why I’m picking Itauma to win and look good doing it.
After feeling out the first couple, where the southpaw takes a look and feel of what the Brixton man has left, he’ll let go with some heavy leather.
How Whyte reacts and soaks up said leather will determine the outcome of the fight. I reckon he’ll be wobbling around the ring from those fast and ferocious fists. Itauma won’t let him off the hook and gets the job done in four rounds.
Cue much praise, back slapping and a beaming Frank Warren in the centre ring. Will Itauma be ready for Usyk? No way. There are still boxes to be ticked and questions to be answered. I doubt Dillian Whyte is the man to pose such teasers on Saturday evening.
