Dillian Whyte knows firsthand what Moses Itauma is capable of and after being wiped out in a single round by the 20-year-old heavyweight prodigy in August, he’s offering a blunt assessment of how Itauma stacks up against Oleksandr Usyk. Speaking with Clubhouse Boxing, Whyte dismissed the idea that Usyk-Itauma is the fight fans want, arguing that the matchup appeals only to hardcore followers of the sport.
Whyte acknowledged the intrigue among purists who would love to see how Itauma’s youth and athletic gifts match up with Usyk’s elite skill set. Still, he insisted that the broader boxing audience isn’t calling for that showdown. “No one wants to see Moses Itauma fight Oleksandr Usyk,” he said. “The boxing purists might, but what casual fans would want to see that?”
Instead, Whyte pointed to a far more compelling option in the eyes of the public: newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley. Wardley, who is managed by Whyte, has already expressed interest in hunting down Usyk’s remaining belts. And given his dramatic rise Whyte believes Wardley brings a narrative that resonates beyond the sport’s hardcore base.
“The casuals would like to see Usyk fight Fabio, because they know Fabio,” Whyte said. “He’s got that Rocky story. Only boxing purists want to see [Usyk-Itauma].” While Whyte praised Itauma as a “great fighter,” he argued that the young contender lacks the personality needed to capture mainstream interest.
Image Credit: Sky Sports