Moses Itauma, viewed as the best teenage prospect in world boxing, will spar Tyson Fury as the latter goes into training camp for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Itauma is just 19 years old but is tipped as a future world champion himself. With a gleaming 10-0 (8) record, Itauma gets a step up against Demsey McKean on the December 21 Usyk-Fury undercard.
The talented southpaw will come in as a sparring partner for Fury for two or three weeks at the beginning of camp.
“I’ve got my own fight to think about,” Itauma told Sky Sports. “We’re kind of similar styles, the likes of me and Usyk, we’ve kind of got a similar style so I feel like I’ll be very beneficial for (Fury).
“It just compliments me. It compliments me but listen, I’m not going to go there just to help him. I want to gauge my ability off his ability. Obviously I’m looking forward to (that).”
Itauma is looking to follow in Fury’s footsteps and become a world heavyweight champion.
“If I don’t want to be aiming to go there, what’s the point of me being in this boxing game? I’m not here to mess around,” he said.
The teenager has sparred with Fury before. He was in camp with Fury ahead of his original fight date to first box Usyk, which had to be postponed after the WBC titlist suffered a cut.
“Whether it was inside the ring or outside the ring, I learned a lot definitely. Outside the ring, maybe getting a balance in life, inside the ring being a bit more patient, a bit calmer, not trying to kill everyone,” he said.
Itauma has issued a statement through his performances. Most recently he demolished Mariusz Wach, a tough veteran, in just two rounds.
That was an indication of the power he already has, and Itauma isn’t even in his 20s yet. Those hands are only going to get heavier.
“It’s scary, isn’t it?” Itauma laughed.
“That many people have pulled out of fights with me and I don’t blame them. If I was in their shoes, I would pull out as well. I wouldn’t want to fight me either.”
His trainer Ben Davison agrees that Itauma is the best teenage prospect in world boxing.
“He’s a very smart, intelligent fighter. He’s a thinking fighter. At his age a lot of it is instinct. Our job is to make it very conscious so when he comes across another fighter with a high IQ, he’s able to process, he’s able to have answers for whatever questions they’re asking back of him. He’s able to recognise traps that better opponents are trying to set on him,” Davison told Sky Sports.
“I feel like his progress is quick. I know sometimes he plays it down but he really loves the sport. He’s got a lot of passion for it and he’s really exciting.”
Itauma added: “I have to show it.
“It’s all good everyone talking about it but I’ve actually got to back it up.”
Another impressive showing against McKean, who has fought at a high-level against Filip Hgrovic, would fast-track Itauma even further.
“I’m going to make a statement and you’re just going to have to watch and see,” Itauma said.
“I’m nowhere near where I want to be. Nowhere near. I’ve still got a lot of miles left in the tank.
“We’ll see. Time’s the biggest revealer, I just need a couple more fights and a bit of time and everyone can see the full me.”
