Moses Itauma faces toughest test yet as Dillian Whyte fight is confirmed

Moses Itauma will take on Dillian Whyte in August, it has been confirmed, as the rising heavyweight star faces his toughest test yet.

Itauma, 20, has been imperious since turning professional in January 2023, going 12-0 with 10 knockouts. After obliterating Demsey McKean in December, the young Briton returned to the ring in May, dropping Mike Balogun three times to seal a second-round win.

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That victory also saw Itauma retain the WBO Intercontinental title, though he has missed the chance to break Mike Tyson’s record as the youngest world heavyweight champion ever.

Still, he continues to climb, and next time out he will be tested against domestic veteran Whyte.

Whyte, 37, will box Itauma in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 16 August, as the “Bodysnatcher” fights for the third time since being cleared after a failed drug test in 2023.

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Whyte’s rematch with old foe Anthony Joshua collapsed in 2023 upon the announcement that he had returned an adverse drug-test result. However, it was later found that the result had been caused by a tainted supplement, and Whyte returned to the ring in March 2024 to stop Christian Hammer. He then stopped Ebenezer Tetteh in December.

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In February, Whyte was due to face Joe Joyce but suffered a hand injury, leading Filip Hrgovic to step in and outpoint Joyce.

Another cancelled bout ensued, with Whyte pulled from the Fabio Wardley vs Justis Huni undercard last week, as promoter Frank Warren vowed that a big contest was in the works for Whyte. That fight was later revealed as this upcoming clash with Itauma.

Also on the card in Riyadh will be a heavyweight fight between Filip Hrgovic and David Adeleye, a featherweight title bout between Nick Ball and Sam Goodman, and a super-featherweight title clash pitting Anthony Cacace against Raymond Ford.

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