At Glasgow’s SSE Hydro, heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma continued his unblemished run at The SSE Hydro with another spectacular technical knockout victory against former NFL player turned boxer Mike Balogun – marking an outstanding eight straight stoppage victory and solidifying his place among one of the premier talents of heavyweight boxing.
As Itauma continues his ascent as an emerging star in heavyweight boxing, conversations about facing more established names in his division are occurring regularly. One such voice was Martin Bakole who voiced his views regarding Itauma’s aspirations of beating Mike Tyson for youngest world heavyweight champion at 21; regardless of its growing prominence over time despite never securing any major titles to boost Itauma’s profile on an international platform.
Recently, promoter Frank Warren expressed enthusiasm about a potential match between Itauma and Bakole, but Bakole, having witnessed Itauma’s latest fight firsthand, suggested that aiming for a bout against him might have been premature. “I know he’s got a good future ahead of him, but to pick my name is a big mistake,” Bakole remarked, hinting at a significant gap in experience between the two fighters.
Bakole also highlighted his readiness to challenge for the world title, implying that a fight with Itauma might not align with his current goals. Despite this, he maintained an openness to the prospect of a bout, even after experiencing setbacks earlier in the year, including a loss to Joseph Parker and a majority draw against Efe Ajagba.
Moses Itauma Sets His Sights Beyond Martin Bakole
Prior to his recent win, Itauma had dismissed any thought of engaging with Martin Bakole for fear that his recent losses diminished their appeal as opponents. “Martin was once seen as an enemy; however after Joseph Parker knocked him out he has come back stronger”, explained Itauma as an explanation why he wanted fights that offered more substantial advancement in his career.
Looking ahead, Itauma appears keener on landing a fight against someone like Filip Hrgovic than Bakole; an indication of his team’s aim of challenging themselves more in the future. Following another impressive win under his belt, Itauma may now consider challenging veteran fighters like Bakole or Hrgovic as his next opponents; his decision will no doubt shape his promising heavyweight boxing career trajectory.