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Moses Itauma could be fast-tracked into fighting for a world heavyweight title later this year following a sensational fifth-round stoppage of Jermaine Franklin in Manchester.
Despite being only 21 years old, Itauma has blazed a trail through the division and made another assertive statement against Franklin, closing the show emphatically midway through the fifth round.
Promoter Frank Warren wants Itauma to have one more tune-up after he moved to 14-0, with 12 KOs, at a sold out Co-op Live Arena before he fights for either the WBC, WBA, IBF or WBO belts later in 2026.
“He’ll probably fight in July,” Warren said. “There’s a lot of fights over the next few months, we will sort something out. I’m pretty confident he will fight for a world title this year.”
Franklin had never before been stopped in his 26-fight professional career, taking both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte the distance in his only defeats, and he was headhunted as an opponent for Itauma to get him some rounds.
While Franklin absorbed some stinging blows throughout to prove his robustness, there was a major gulf in class, with Itauma showcasing his superior speed, footwork and all-round ringcraft.
Itauma had stopped his most recent nine opponents before the end of the second round and, while Franklin reached that benchmark, the American was knocked down by a punishing blow behind his left ear in the third after being backed up against the ropes.
While he was able to rise to his feet, he crumpled face first to the canvas a couple of rounds later after Itauma followed up a peach of a left uppercut with a right hook for good measure.
The first shot seemingly left Franklin out on his feet but Itauma left no room for doubt and, while the Michigan man’s corner seemed to object to the stoppage, he was prone on the canvas for a while before rising unsteadily to his feet.
“I’m happy to get the win,” Itauma said. “I’ve got to thank Jermaine Franklin for giving me this opportunity because it takes two to tango. I appreciate it.
“I tried to knock him out in the first or second round, but maybe not today, so I went back to the basics, switching down to the body, and the knockout just came. It’s the shot you don’t see.
“When I first turned professional, I thought I was able to win titles but I didn’t think it would be so soon. I’m just a young boy chasing his dream.”
Oleksandr Usyk is the unified world champion but last year dismissed the idea of facing Itauma because of his age and the Ukrainian instead takes on former kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt.
Fabio Wardley defends his WBO title against Daniel Dubois a fortnight earlier and the winner could be paired up with Itauma, with all three fighters under the Warren promotional banner.
Itauma himself admitted he had designs on a showdown with Filip Hrgovic, a former IBF interim title challenger, although the Croatian will take on Dave Allen in Doncaster in May.
“We will go back to the drawing board and see who’s there, see who’s available, I’ll be back soon,” Itauma added.
