Moses Itauma, the 21-year-old British heavyweight from Chatham, Kent, claims a thunderous knockout victory over Jermaine Franklin in Manchester, achieving what Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte could not.
A First-Time Stoppage for Franklin
Jermaine Franklin enters the ring undefeated by knockout, having previously gone the distance against Joshua and Whyte during his visits to the UK. This time, the American heavyweight lasts just four rounds and 1 minute 33 seconds before Itauma sends him crashing face-down to the canvas at Co-Op Live arena.
Itauma dominates from the outset. In the first round, he stumbles Franklin into the ropes with powerful shots. The second brings more punishment, absorbed by Franklin’s sturdy frame. Round three sees Franklin hit the deck from a sharp right hand. Itauma mixes combinations with heavy blows in the fourth, shrugging off Franklin’s counters.
The end comes in the fifth: a left uppercut drops Franklin, followed by a straight right that ensures he stays down.
Itauma’s Post-Fight Reflections
After the win, Itauma reflects on his journey: “I’ve had a lovely time. This is where I won my first national title. We come here seven years later, and I’m picking up a win over Franklin. I tried to knock him out in the first or second round, but maybe not today. So I went back to the basics, and the knockout just came. I’m just a young boy chasing a dream.”
By his standards, Itauma extends the fight slightly, gaining valuable rounds in his unbeaten streak toward boxing’s summit.
Promising Path to World Title Glory
Promoter Frank Warren spots elite potential and vows a world title opportunity soon, possibly against the winner of the WBO belt clash between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois at the same venue. Even undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk takes note of the rising threat from southeast England.
Former light-middleweight world champion Liam Smith posts on X: “He’s some fighter this kid. I’m putting it out there, I think he beats Usyk.”
Manchester solidifies its heavyweight hub status amid a packed schedule, including upcoming bouts like Deontay Wilder vs. Derek Chisora and Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov, with big-city stakes and potential undisputed title shots on the horizon.
