Moses Itauma will headline again on August 8 at London’s O2 Arena, with promoter Frank Warren confirming that the unbeaten heavyweight will face a top-10 ranked opponent. Itauma has continued to rise quickly after stopping Dillian Whyte in the opening round and then halting Jermaine Franklin in five rounds in Manchester.
Warren had previously said the plan was for Itauma to fight in the summer and then challenge for a world title before the end of 2026. He has since also mentioned a possible U.S. debut later this year, creating questions over whether that final fight will still involve a belt.
“All I can tell you is, until the contracts are signed, it will be a top 10 ranked fighter,” Warren said. “It’ll be a good test, another good test for him and we’re looking forward to a sellout in London at the O2.”
The update appears to rule out Daniel Dubois as Itauma’s next opponent, with the new WBO heavyweight champion expected to rest after his hard fight with Fabio Wardley. Wardley also has a rematch clause that could affect Dubois’ immediate plans.
Itauma is expected to be named WBO mandatory challenger soon, but other routes may also open depending on the heavyweight title situation. Possible top-10 names mentioned include Murat Gassiev, Zhilei Zhang, Jarrell Miller and Martin Bakole.
Image Credit: BBC