Moses Itauma fights Jermaine Franklin this weekend, but already, fellow heavyweights are talking about what comes next.
Itauma is one of the most exciting young names in the current banner division. He is still only 21 and has had a meteoric rise in the professional ranks since he first turned over.
He has fought 13 times, winning 11 of those contests by way of stoppage, and knocking out nine of his opponents inside the first round.
The Brit had hoped to become the youngest ever world champion, but time has got away from him, although he continues to look sharp in the ring. He has not fought since August, when he demolished Dillian Whyte inside the first round.
He was due to fight Franklin in January, but an injury postponed that fight with American, who took both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte 12 rounds when he had previously visited UK shores.
Speaking to Seconds Out, former cruiserweight champion and current WBA Regular heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev was asked about negotiations to fight Itauma.
“What I want to say about Moses is he’s a young fighter, talented, strong, right now, next week, he has fight against Franklin, good fight, good challenge for him, we see what happens in that fight, after fight we can speak about everything.”
Gassiev stopped former world title challenger Kubrat Pulev in his last fight back in December to claim the WBA regular title, so he would be another good opponent for Itauma were he to beat Franklin at Co-Op Live in Manchester on Saturday.
