By Daily Sports Nigeria on March 30, 2026

Moses Itauma has declared he is in boxing for the long haul and not merely for financial gain, saying he intends to change the sport forever, after stopping Jermaine Franklin in the fifth round in Manchester on Saturday to move to 14 wins from 14 fights with 12 knockouts, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 21-year-old British-Nigerian heavyweight, who has now handed Franklin the first stoppage defeat of his career, earned the WBO’s formal recommendation for a mandatory title shot following the victory, with WBO president Gustavo Olivieri describing him on X as a rising star who has further affirmed his standing in the division.

“When I first turned professional, I thought I would win titles, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. I’m just a young boy chasing a dream,” Itauma said.

The victory came in dominant fashion. Itauma dropped Franklin in the third round before finishing the job in the fifth with a precisely timed uppercut that left his opponent out on his feet, setting up the final, decisive right hand.

Itauma has insisted throughout his career that his motivations go beyond money or fame. The Chatham-born fighter, whose Nigerian father is from the Ibibio tribe, said boxing is something he cannot walk away from regardless of reward.

“I’m not doing boxing to make some money and then leave. I’m actually doing it because I need to do it. It’s like a drug. I’m genuinely fighting for myself and for my family,” he said.

Franklin had never been stopped in 26 professional fights — a list that includes decision defeats to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte — and had been expected by some to provide valuable rounds for the rising contender. Instead, the fight was one-sided from the opening bell.

Talk of a potential world title shot has followed, with Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury among the names raised, but Itauma is measured about his prospects of landing those fights imminently.

“Why would Usyk fight me? Obviously, he’s got other people on the agenda. Not only that, he’s got a whole list of people that, I guess, are in front of me. I don’t think Tyson would want to take a fight either. He knows there are a lot of other fights he probably would be able to make more money off, and they wouldn’t be as much of a fight,” he said.

Itauma’s record now stands at 14-0, with nine of those victories coming inside the first two rounds, and the heavyweight division is watching.

Source Punch Ng

Posted March 30, 2026

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