In Riyadh on the evening of 16/8, Itauma entered the ring with a relaxed demeanor and quickly found an opening in his experienced opponent's defense. The 20-year-old landed a left hook that staggered Whyte, then followed up with a combination of punches, knocking down his opponent, who is 17 years his senior, and forcing the referee to stop the fight in the first round.

Moses Itauma (left) corners Dillian Whyte before the knockout at anb Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 16/8. Photo: Reuters

After the match, the 20-year-old boxer said it only took him about a minute to find his rhythm and see a clear path to victory. "I saw Whyte doing exactly what coach Ben Davison told me to look out for," Itauma revealed. "But then the feeling of being in the fight went away, I started seeing the gaps and I couldn't miss. I executed the game plan perfectly."

The resounding victory solidified Itauma's status as a rising star in the heavyweight boxing world. After defeating Mariusz Wach and Demsey McKean, this time he made a significant leap by knocking out a former world title challenger (Whyte lost to Tyson Fury in the WBC title fight in 4/2022).

When asked about the future, Itauma expressed his desire to test himself at the highest level, including a bout with undisputed heavyweight champion Usyk. "Joseph Parker or Agit Kabayel deserve a shot at Usyk's title. But I'd love that opportunity too. Put me in the ring with them. I'm ready," the 20-year-old confidently stated.

Moses Itauma knocks out Dillian Whyte.

On Instagram, former world champion Tyson Fury voiced his support for Itauma, predicting he could defeat Usyk (37) as well as other top heavyweight boxers due to his youth. "Itauma will clean out the rest of these old guys in the heavyweight division. Usyk, Anthony Joshua, Jarrell Miller, Luis Ortiz... all of them," Fury wrote. "A young man won’t lose to an old man. I see Moses beating Usyk, it's simply a young man versus an old man."

As an amateur, Itauma had an undefeated record with 24 wins, including 11 by knockout. He won gold medals at the Schools, national and international Juniors, Youth European Championships, and the Heavyweight Youth World Championship.

Itauma turned professional in 2023 and has won all 13 of his fights, 11 by knockout. He is highly regarded for his speed, power, and versatile technique, combined with his ability to read the fight and exploit his opponents' weaknesses.

Dillian Whyte is knocked down in the first round and unable to get up. Photo: Reuters

On the other side, Whyte entered the fight hoping to revive his career after several setbacks. The 37-year-old has faced top names like Derek Chisora, Joseph Parker, Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury. In 2023, Whyte missed a rematch with Joshua due to a suspension for a positive drug test but was allowed to return to competition and later that year defeated Ebenezer Tetteh.

This time, Whyte even dropped to his lightest weight in 10 years, hoping for a breakthrough. However, against the superior speed and power of his younger opponent, he couldn't hold his ground. A series of left jabs, left crosses, and right hooks from Itauma left Whyte staggering, then he collapsed to the canvas. Despite attempting to get up, the London-born boxer remained unsteady, forcing the referee to stop the fight for his safety.

Hong Duy (via Sky Sports)