Moses Itauma, the 20-year-old British-Nigerian prodigy, continued his meteoric rise in the heavyweight division with a blistering first-round stoppage of veteran Dillian Whyte on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The fight, staged at the ANB Arena, lasted just under two minutes before referee Mikael Hook waved it off. Itauma wasted no time imposing his youth and speed against the 37-year-old Whyte, firing sharp combinations from the opening bell. A stiff jab pushed the older fighter onto the ropes, and moments later, a thunderous right hook floored him.
Although Whyte beat the referee’s count, his legs betrayed him, prompting the official to halt proceedings at 1:59 of the opening round.
The emphatic victory improved Itauma’s professional record to 13-0, with 11 of those wins coming by knockout — eight of them inside the very first round. Already holding the WBA International, WBO Intercontinental, and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, the Slovakian-born boxer of Nigerian descent is rapidly closing in on world title contention.
Speaking after the fight, Itauma played down talk of superstardom, insisting he simply enjoys being in the ring: “I just like being a boxer… I’m not doing it to be a superstar.”
Even so, big fights loom. Ranked No. 1 by the WBO and No. 2 by the WBA, Itauma could soon find himself challenging for the world crown especially if Oleksandr Usyk vacates the WBO belt. Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel are also in the title picture, but Saudi boxing backer Turki Alalshikh has already hinted at wanting to see Itauma face Usyk directly.
With promoter Frank Warren likening his potential to global icons such as LeBron James and Tiger Woods, the young heavyweight may yet become the next dominant force in boxing. And with another bout possible before the end of 2025, Itauma’s explosive journey is only just beginning.
