On the ever-evolving stage of heavyweight boxing, where legends are born and reputations built on brute force and audacity, a young titan of Nigerian descent is beginning to cast an intimidating shadow.
Moses Itauma has not merely stepped into the professional arena—he’s stormed it with the ferocity of a man on a mission. With an unblemished 11-0 record and nine crushing knockouts, the 20-year-old British-born fighter is already drawing awed whispers of comparison to the most feared heavyweight in history—Mike Tyson.
“I’m a modern-day gladiator,” Itauma proclaims.
“I just get into the arena and have to fight.”
It’s not just bravado. His devastating blend of speed, power, and razor-sharp ring IQ is quickly making believers out of boxing purists and power-punch enthusiasts alike. What’s more, his eyes are firmly set on a historic milestone: dethroning Tyson’s 38-year record as the youngest heavyweight world champion in history. The deadline? May 19, 2025.
Rooted in Nigeria, forged by struggle
Born on December 28, 2004, in the Slovakian town of Kežmarok to a Nigerian father and Slovakian mother, Itauma’s early years were shaped by more than the bitter cold. Racial discrimination plagued his childhood, prompting his family to relocate to Chatham, Kent, in search of opportunity and safety.
“It’s part of my identity,” Itauma says of his identity.
“It’s not something I would change, but we weren’t treated the same way as everyone else.
“We would stand out because we were the only African Slovak people, but I am proud of my heritage.”
Yet, amid that adversity, Itauma discovered a unique resilience—one he credits to both sides of his heritage.
“I think I got the best of both worlds, that Slovak toughness, mentality, and I’m strong physically from my Nigerian side,” he says, echoing the sentiments of another British-Nigerian heavyweight sensation, Anthony Joshua.
Though named Enriko at birth, he now fights under his middle name Moses—an imposing moniker suggested by his promoter to strike fear and command attention. Command it he does, every time he steps through the ropes.
From hesitant newcomer to relentless knockout artist
Itauma first laced up a pair of gloves at age nine, thanks to encouragement from his older brother, Karol. Yet, his initial foray into boxing was far from love at first punch.
“I didn’t enjoy it at first,” he admits.
“It was hard. I stopped and tried football for a bit, but it was boring.”
When he returned to boxing at St Mary’s ABC in Chatham, something clicked. Inspired by the flamboyant brilliance of Prince Naseem Hamed, Itauma began forging a style of his own—power-packed but unexpectedly nimble.
“I must’ve watched the same highlight reel of Naseem dancing and knocking people out 50 times,” he recalls.
“My style’s different, but I try to bring that energy into my fights.”
He went undefeated through 24 amateur fights, racking up gold at every level—from school championships to the Youth World Championships. But it was in the pro ranks that Itauma began to unleash his full, terrifying potential.
His debut against Germany’s Marcel Bode in January 2023 at Wembley Arena lasted just 23 seconds—an explosive arrival. His second bout? A 35-second demolition of Ramon Ibarra. Even when fights went the distance, such as his 2023 clash with Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko, Itauma’s dominance was never in doubt.
But it was in December 2024 that he made his boldest statement yet—blowing away world-rated contender Demsey McKean in under two minutes on the undercard of the Usyk-Fury rematch in Saudi Arabia. McKean, who had previously gone 12 rounds with the rugged Filip Hrgovic, was rendered helpless by Itauma’s furious assault.
Praise from champions and mentors
“Moses has the tools to become one of the greatest heavyweights of all time—if he stays focused,” says Ben Davison, the renowned trainer who guided Tyson Fury and currently works with Anthony Joshua.
Davison, who has coached some of the sport’s most iconic modern names, speaks with conviction about the young heavyweight’s exceptional ceiling.
Tyson Fury himself offered an endorsement that spoke volumes—by choosing to avoid him. After sparring with Itauma in July 2024, Fury dubbed him “the future of the heavyweight division” and dismissed the idea of ever facing him as “a stupid fight.” For a man who’s shared the ring with virtually every top heavyweight of his generation, such hesitation says more than words ever could.
A Nigerian legacy reimagined
For fans in Nigeria, Itauma represents the next proud chapter in a growing legacy of heavyweight excellence. Like Anthony Joshua, whose roots trace back to Sagamu in Ogun State, Itauma carries the flag of Nigerian toughness into the global boxing arena.
But where Joshua often boxed with poise and patience, Itauma brings a fury that harks back to Tyson in his prime—a violent urgency that seems destined for greatness.
Should Itauma fulfil his promise, he may not only join Joshua in heavyweight royalty but surpass him, heralding a new era for Nigerian boxing dominance.
Big praise, bigger potential
In February 2025, none other than Oleksandr Usyk—the undisputed heavyweight kingpin—offered his take on the sport’s next big thing. “Moses Itauma is a great fighter. He’s young. He’s got a big future,” Usyk told talkSPORT, adding another elite voice to the growing chorus of praise.
Already the holder of the WBO Intercontinental heavyweight belt—earned with a second-round TKO over Germany’s Ilja Mezencev—Itauma is on the brink of title contention. He has successfully defended the strap twice and remains eager for greater glory.
“I wanted to break Tyson’s record,” he says. “I’ve done everything on my end. If it doesn’t happen, it won’t be for lack of trying.”
His willingness to face IBF champion Daniel Dubois is already public: “If the fight is offered, I’ll take it. 100 per cent.”
But Itauma also acknowledges the politics of the sport. “I thought if you’re good enough, you’ll become champion. But it doesn’t work that way. Some fighters just don’t want to risk it.”
The inevitable rise
As Moses Itauma continues his rise through boxing’s most prestigious division, the question is no longer if he will become champion—but when.
In a sport desperate for fresh blood and dominant figures, he emerges not only as a contender but as a potential heir to the heavyweight throne. His blend of youth, skill, heritage, and sheer destruction makes him a fearsome proposition for any opponent—and a beacon of pride for Nigerian sports fans.
“My job is to fight whoever they put in front of me,” Itauma said after a rare decision win in 2023. “Even if they say tomorrow, you’re fighting King Kong.”
With that kind of fearless drive and a knockout reel growing by the day, Moses Itauma is not just Britain’s next big thing. He might just be the world’s.
The throne awaits—and he’s coming for it with thunder in his fists.