This is unlikely as Pulev is reportedly being eyed for a bout with Itauma’s stablemate, Fabio Wardley at Portman Road. Indeed, Fabio Wardley, a prominent heavyweight contender, fought Justis Huni for the WBA Interim heavyweight title on June 7, 2025, at Portman Road in Ipswich, winning by knockout in the tenth round. Dillian Whyte, after recovering from his finger injury, also made his return on the undercard of this event. Kubrat Pulev currently holds the WBA heavyweight belt. With Itauma’s current professional record standing at an unblemished 14-0 with 12 knockouts, he has rapidly climbed the rankings, now holding impressive positions such as WBA #1, WBO #1, WBC #3, and IBF #5. Despite missing the Tyson record, his promoter, Frank Warren, remains highly optimistic about Itauma’s future, even suggesting in April 2025 that a world title fight against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk could be a possibility by the end of 2025. [cite: 42
Moses Itauma has built a reputation as an aggressive powerhouse, stopping Demsey McKean in just one round in his latest fight.
Moses Itauma is now 11-0 as a professional after demolishing Demsey McKean in one round after Filip Hrgovic took twelve to stop the Australian. The highly-touted British heavyweight prospect, born on December 28, 2004 [cite: 1, 4, 5, 6], secured his 11th professional victory and the WBA International heavyweight title against Demsey McKean on December 21, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [cite: 1, 7, 20, 28, 38] Itauma, fighting out of a southpaw stance, delivered a devastating performance, knocking down McKean swiftly in the first round. Although McKean managed to get back to his feet, the referee intervened, stopping the bout before the round concluded and awarding Itauma a TKO victory. [cite: 20] This impressive win came after Itauma had already claimed the vacant WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title earlier in 2024, stopping Germany’s Ilja Mezencev in the second round on May 18, 2024, and successfully defending it against Polish boxer Mariusz Wach with another second-round stoppage on July 27, 2024. [cite: 1, 2]
Itauma has been praised by fans, pundits, and fellow boxers alike, and seemed on track to beat Mike Tyson’s record for being the youngest heavyweight world champion, which he achieved by beating Trevor Berbick, though this now seems unlikely to happen. Mike Tyson made history on November 22, 1986, when he became the youngest world heavyweight boxing champion at the age of 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days by knocking out Trevor Berbick. [cite: 9, 10, 12, 16] Itauma’s rapid ascent through the professional ranks, following an unbeaten amateur career of 24 wins [cite: 1], fueled speculation that he could surpass this long-standing record.
The Ill-Fated ‘Heavy Impact’ Card and Its Aftermath
According to Frank Warren, Itauma was scheduled to fight on April 5th’s ‘Heavy Impact’ card, Queensberry’s first event with DAZN. This highly anticipated event, held at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on April 5, 2025 [cite: 17, 19, 46], was indeed plagued with bad luck. The original main event was set to feature a clash between heavyweight contenders Joe Joyce and Dillian Whyte. However, Whyte was forced to withdraw due to a severe finger injury sustained during training, reportedly caught between two dumbbells. [cite: 24, 30, 31, 32] Filip Hrgovic stepped in as a replacement to face Joe Joyce. [cite: 19, 23, 30] In a competitive bout, Hrgovic ultimately defeated Joyce by unanimous decision with scores of 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94. [cite: 17, 19, 48]
Further compounding the event’s troubles, Lawrence Okolie also withdrew from his scheduled fight with Richard Riakporhe due to an injury of his own. [cite: 23, 33, 36, 37] The all-London cruiserweight derby, which would have seen Riakporhe make his heavyweight debut, was postponed. Riakporhe later made his heavyweight debut in May 2025, stopping Kevin Espindola in the fourth round. [cite: 43]
The bad luck doesn’t end there, though, as Warren revealed that Itauma was originally scheduled to fight on the card, with 21-0 Nelson Hysa being looked at as an opponent. Nelson Hysa, an Albanian heavyweight with an impressive undefeated record of 24-0 (22 KOs) [cite: 3, 26, 27, 29], was a strong potential opponent. However, Itauma’s participation on the April 5th card did not materialise. Warren said: ““We were looking to get him out on April 5 but that hasn’t happened.”
Itauma’s Continued Momentum and the Reality of Tyson’s Record
Itauma instead fought on the undercard of Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman in Scotland in May. This event took place on May 24, 2025, in Glasgow. [cite: 13, 14, 15, 22] On this card, Ekow Essuman delivered an upset, defeating former undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor by unanimous decision. [cite: 13, 14, 15, 22, 25] Moses Itauma continued his winning streak, stopping Mike Balogun in the second round. [cite: 1, 14, 15] Following this, Itauma faced a significant test against Dillian Whyte on August 16, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he secured a first-round technical knockout victory. [cite: 1, 6, 40] His most recent outing saw him become the first fighter to stop Jermaine Franklin, winning by knockout in the fifth round on March 28, 2026, in Manchester. [cite: 1, 4, 40]
Tyson won the world title aged 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days. With Itauma turning 20 in December, this means that if Itauma’s next fight takes place in May, he will not beat Tyson’s record unless it is for the WBA Regular title against Kubrat Pulev. Itauma, born on December 28, 2004 [cite: 1, 4, 5, 6], turned 20 at the end of 2024. By the time of his fight against Mike Balogun in May 2025, he was already past 20 years and 4 months old. His subsequent fight against Dillian Whyte in August 2025 further confirmed that the window to break Tyson’s record had passed. Frank Warren himself acknowledged in April 2025 that Itauma had missed the opportunity to become the youngest heavyweight world champion. [cite: 42]
Heavyweight Division Dynamics: New Contenders and Title Aspirations
This is unlikely as Pulev is reportedly being eyed for a bout with Itauma’s stablemate, Fabio Wardley at Portman Road. Indeed, Fabio Wardley, a prominent heavyweight contender, fought Justis Huni for the WBA Interim heavyweight title on June 7, 2025, at Portman Road in Ipswich, winning by knockout in the tenth round. [cite: 17] Dillian Whyte, after recovering from his finger injury, also made his return on the undercard of this event. [cite: 34] Kubrat Pulev currently holds the WBA heavyweight belt. [cite: 34] With Itauma’s current professional record standing at an unblemished 14-0 with 12 knockouts [cite: 1, 40, 45], he has rapidly climbed the rankings, now holding impressive positions such as WBA #1, WBO #1, WBC #3, and IBF #5. [cite: 45] Despite missing the Tyson record, his promoter, Frank Warren, remains highly optimistic about Itauma’s future, even suggesting in April 2025 that a world title fight against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk could be a possibility by the end of 2025. [cite: 42
Moses Itauma has built a reputation as an aggressive powerhouse, stopping Demsey McKean in just one round in his latest fight.
Moses Itauma is now 11-0 as a professional after demolishing Demsey McKean in one round after Filip Hrgovic took twelve to stop the Australian. The highly-touted British heavyweight prospect, born on December 28, 2004, secured his 11th professional victory and the WBA International heavyweight title against Demsey McKean on December 21, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Itauma, fighting out of a southpaw stance, delivered a devastating performance, knocking down McKean swiftly in the first round. Although McKean managed to get back to his feet, the referee intervened, stopping the bout before the round concluded and awarding Itauma a TKO victory. This impressive win came after Itauma had already claimed the vacant WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title earlier in 2024, stopping Germany’s Ilja Mezencev in the second round on May 18, 2024, and successfully defending it against Polish boxer Mariusz Wach with another second-round stoppage on July 27, 2024.
Itauma has been praised by fans, pundits, and fellow boxers alike, and seemed on track to beat Mike Tyson’s record for being the youngest heavyweight world champion, which he achieved by beating Trevor Berbick, though this now seems unlikely to happen. Mike Tyson made history on November 22, 1986, when he became the youngest world heavyweight boxing champion at the age of 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days by knocking out Trevor Berbick. Itauma’s rapid ascent through the professional ranks, following an unbeaten amateur career of 24 wins, fueled speculation that he could surpass this long-standing record.
The Ill-Fated ‘Heavy Impact’ Card and Its Aftermath
According to Frank Warren, Itauma was scheduled to fight on April 5th’s ‘Heavy Impact’ card, Queensberry’s first event with DAZN. This highly anticipated event, held at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on April 5, 2025, was indeed plagued with bad luck. The original main event was set to feature a clash between heavyweight contenders Joe Joyce and Dillian Whyte. However, Whyte was forced to withdraw due to a severe finger injury sustained during training, reportedly caught between two dumbbells. Filip Hrgovic stepped in as a replacement to face Joe Joyce. In a competitive bout, Hrgovic ultimately defeated Joyce by unanimous decision with scores of 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94.
Further compounding the event’s troubles, Lawrence Okolie also withdrew from his scheduled fight with Richard Riakporhe due to an injury of his own. The all-London cruiserweight derby, which would have seen Riakporhe make his heavyweight debut, was postponed. Riakporhe later made his heavyweight debut in May 2025, stopping Kevin Espindola in the fourth round.
The bad luck doesn’t end there, though, as Warren revealed that Itauma was originally scheduled to fight on the card, with 21-0 Nelson Hysa being looked at as an opponent. Nelson Hysa, an Albanian heavyweight with an impressive undefeated record of 24-0 (22 KOs), was a strong potential opponent. However, Itauma’s participation on the April 5th card did not materialise. Warren said: ““We were looking to get him out on April 5 but that hasn’t happened.”
Itauma’s Continued Momentum and the Reality of Tyson’s Record
Itauma instead fought on the undercard of Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman in Scotland in May. This event took place on May 24, 2025, in Glasgow. On this card, Ekow Essuman delivered an upset, defeating former undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor by unanimous decision. Moses Itauma continued his winning streak, stopping Mike Balogun in the second round. Following this, Itauma faced a significant test against Dillian Whyte on August 16, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he secured a first-round technical knockout victory. His most recent outing saw him become the first fighter to stop Jermaine Franklin, winning by knockout in the fifth round on March 28, 2026, in Manchester.
Tyson won the world title aged 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days. With Itauma turning 20 in December, this means that if Itauma’s next fight takes place in May, he will not beat Tyson’s record unless it is for the WBA Regular title against Kubrat Pulev. Itauma, born on December 28, 2004, turned 20 at the end of 2024. By the time of his fight against Mike Balogun in May 2025, he was already past 20 years and 4 months old. His subsequent fight against Dillian Whyte in August 2025 further confirmed that the window to break Tyson’s record had passed. Frank Warren himself acknowledged in April 2025 that Itauma had missed the opportunity to become the youngest heavyweight world champion.
Heavyweight Division Dynamics: New Contenders and Title Aspirations
This is unlikely as Pulev is reportedly being eyed for a bout with Itauma’s stablemate, Fabio Wardley at Portman Road. Indeed, Fabio Wardley, a prominent heavyweight contender, fought Justis Huni for the WBA Interim heavyweight title on June 7, 2025, at Portman Road in Ipswich, winning by knockout in the tenth round. Dillian Whyte, after recovering from his finger injury, also made his return on the undercard of this event. Kubrat Pulev currently holds the WBA heavyweight belt. With Itauma’s current professional record standing at an unblemished 14-0 with 12 knockouts, he has rapidly climbed the rankings, now holding impressive positions such as WBA #1, WBO #1, WBC #3, and IBF #5. Despite missing the Tyson record, his promoter, Frank Warren, remains highly optimistic about Itauma’s future, even suggesting in April 2025 that a world title fight against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk could be a possibility by the end of 2025. [cite: 42
Moses Itauma has built a reputation as an aggressive powerhouse, stopping Demsey McKean in just one round in his latest fight.
Moses Itauma is now 11-0 as a professional after demolishing Demsey McKean in one round after Filip Hrgovic took twelve to stop the Australian. The highly-touted British heavyweight prospect, born on December 28, 2004 [cite: 1, 4, 5, 6], secured his 11th professional victory and the WBA International heavyweight title against Demsey McKean on December 21, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [cite: 1, 7, 20, 28, 38] Itauma, fighting out of a southpaw stance, delivered a devastating performance, knocking down McKean swiftly in the first round. Although McKean managed to get back to his feet, the referee intervened, stopping the bout before the round concluded and awarding Itauma a TKO victory. [cite: 20] This impressive win came after Itauma had already claimed the vacant WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title earlier in 2024, stopping Germany’s Ilja Mezencev in the second round on May 18, 2024, and successfully defending it against Polish boxer Mariusz Wach with another second-round stoppage on July 27, 2024. [cite: 1, 2]
Itauma has been praised by fans, pundits, and fellow boxers alike, and seemed on track to beat Mike Tyson’s record for being the youngest heavyweight world champion, which he achieved by beating Trevor Berbick, though this now seems unlikely to happen. Mike Tyson made history on November 22, 1986, when he became the youngest world heavyweight boxing champion at the age of 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days by knocking out Trevor Berbick. [cite: 9, 10, 12, 16] Itauma’s rapid ascent through the professional ranks, following an unbeaten amateur career of 24 wins [cite: 1], fueled speculation that he could surpass this long-standing record.
The Ill-Fated ‘Heavy Impact’ Card and Its Aftermath
According to Frank Warren, Itauma was scheduled to fight on April 5th’s ‘Heavy Impact’ card, Queensberry’s first event with DAZN. This highly anticipated event, held at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on April 5, 2025 [cite: 17, 19, 46], was indeed plagued with bad luck. The original main event was set to feature a clash between heavyweight contenders Joe Joyce and Dillian Whyte. However, Whyte was forced to withdraw due to a severe finger injury sustained during training, reportedly caught between two dumbbells. [cite: 24, 30, 31, 32] Filip Hrgovic stepped in as a replacement to face Joe Joyce. [cite: 19, 23, 30] In a competitive bout, Hrgovic ultimately defeated Joyce by unanimous decision with scores of 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94. [cite: 17, 19, 48]
Further compounding the event’s troubles, Lawrence Okolie also withdrew from his scheduled fight with Richard Riakporhe due to an injury of his own. [cite: 23, 33, 36, 37] The all-London cruiserweight derby, which would have seen Riakporhe make his heavyweight debut, was postponed. Riakporhe later made his heavyweight debut in May 2025, stopping Kevin Espindola in the fourth round. [cite: 43]
The bad luck doesn’t end there, though, as Warren revealed that Itauma was originally scheduled to fight on the card, with 21-0 Nelson Hysa being looked at as an opponent. Nelson Hysa, an Albanian heavyweight with an impressive undefeated record of 24-0 (22 KOs) [cite: 3, 26, 27, 29], was a strong potential opponent. However, Itauma’s participation on the April 5th card did not materialise. Warren said: ““We were looking to get him out on April 5 but that hasn’t happened.”
Itauma’s Continued Momentum and the Reality of Tyson’s Record
Itauma instead fought on the undercard of Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman in Scotland in May. This event took place on May 24, 2025, in Glasgow. [cite: 13, 14, 15, 22] On this card, Ekow Essuman delivered an upset, defeating former undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor by unanimous decision. [cite: 13, 14, 15, 22, 25] Moses Itauma continued his winning streak, stopping Mike Balogun in the second round. [cite: 1, 14, 15] Following this, Itauma faced a significant test against Dillian Whyte on August 16, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he secured a first-round technical knockout victory. [cite: 1, 6, 40] His most recent outing saw him become the first fighter to stop Jermaine Franklin, winning by knockout in the fifth round on March 28, 2026, in Manchester. [cite: 1, 4, 40]
Tyson won the world title aged 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days. With Itauma turning 20 in December, this means that if Itauma’s next fight takes place in May, he will not beat Tyson’s record unless it is for the WBA Regular title against Kubrat Pulev. Itauma, born on December 28, 2004 [cite: 1, 4, 5, 6], turned 20 at the end of 2024. By the time of his fight against Mike Balogun in May 2025, he was already past 20 years and 4 months old. His subsequent fight against Dillian Whyte in August 2025 further confirmed that the window to break Tyson’s record had passed. Frank Warren himself acknowledged in April 2025 that Itauma had missed the opportunity to become the youngest heavyweight world champion. [cite: 42]
Heavyweight Division Dynamics: New Contenders and Title Aspirations
This is unlikely as Pulev is reportedly being eyed for a bout with Itauma’s stablemate, Fabio Wardley at Portman Road. Indeed, Fabio Wardley, a prominent heavyweight contender, fought Justis Huni for the WBA Interim heavyweight title on June 7, 2025, at Portman Road in Ipswich, winning by knockout in the tenth round. [cite: 17] Dillian Whyte, after recovering from his finger injury, also made his return on the undercard of this event. [cite: 34] Kubrat Pulev currently holds the WBA heavyweight belt. [cite: 34] With Itauma’s current professional record standing at an unblemished 14-0 with 12 knockouts [cite: 1, 40, 45], he has rapidly climbed the rankings, now holding impressive positions such as WBA #1, WBO #1, WBC #3, and IBF #5. [cite: 45] Despite missing the Tyson record, his promoter, Frank Warren, remains highly optimistic about Itauma’s future, even suggesting in April 2025 that a world title fight against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk could be a possibility by the end of 2025. [cite: 42
