Moses Itauma Ready to Answer Outstanding Questions in Jermaine Franklin Fight
The 21-year-old British boxing sensation Moses Itauma is already being touted for a world title fight against elite heavyweights like Oleksandr Usyk or Fabio Wardley. However, he insists his full focus is on his upcoming showdown with the durable American Jermaine Franklin this Saturday at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester.
Final Piece of the Puzzle
Itauma believes Franklin represents the "final piece of the puzzle" as he aims to rubberstamp his readiness for the world's top heavyweights. His rapid rise in boxing's premier division has been nothing short of spectacular, with a record that includes 13 fights and a merciless two-minute stoppage of former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in Riyadh last August. Notably, none of his most recent nine bouts have reached the end of the second round.
"There's still question marks for myself," Itauma admitted. "There's questions that my team want to know about me, there's questions that I want to know about myself and I'm sure there's a lot of questions that the fans want to know about me as well."
A Serious Acid Test
Franklin, aged 32 and with 26 fights under his belt, has never been stopped in his career. His only two losses came via points defeats to Whyte and Anthony Joshua, making him a formidable opponent who can provide a genuine acid test for the young Briton.
"People are wondering if I've got a chin or if I can go the distance," Itauma explained. "Jermaine Franklin is known for taking people the distance and giving them tough fights. I feel like this is the final piece of the puzzle. I have a serious opponent in Jermaine Franklin. We've asked for this fight for about a year-and-a-half."
Not Overlooking the Threat
Despite the buzz around potential future bouts, Itauma is not dismissing the threat posed by Franklin, who is 11 years his senior. "I've not overlooked him," he added. "I know a lot of people are expecting me to do X, Y and Z – I don't pay attention to that. It doesn't do me any favours."
He emphasised Franklin's credentials: "This is a serious fight, he's got 15 KOs on his record and he's 32 years old, this isn't a washed up has-been. At 32, he's coming to the peak or at his peak right now. When I get asked about other fighters, that's not going to happen if I don't get through Jermaine Franklin."
Franklin's Response and Future Prospects
Franklin, who has won his last three bouts since a unanimous decision loss to Joshua three years ago, claimed he has been unfairly overlooked in the build-up. "I feel disrespected but it's part of the game," the Michigan fighter said. "I'm used to the politics, I'm used to the tricks everybody does and I'm just ready to fight. People are going to feel how they feel. I know what I can do so I'm not too much worried about how people feel or their opinions."
Meanwhile, world title opportunities loom on the horizon. Usyk has ruled out a bout against Itauma and will instead face Rico Verhoeven in May, while Wardley defends his WBO title against Daniel Dubois. For Itauma, however, all attention remains on proving himself against Franklin in what promises to be a pivotal clash for his burgeoning career.
