OK, the hyperbole may have gone into overdrive, but Itauma appears to have the whole package: He\u2019s building his r\u00e9sum\u00e9, passing the eye test with flying colors and is entering an aging division awaiting a new king.<\/p>\n
How he\u2019s matched in the coming months will be crucial to his development \u2014 something that Queensberry\u2019s Frank Warren is well versed in doing.<\/p>\n
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But barring pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk<\/a>, you\u2019d be hard-pressed to find an opponent Itauma wouldn\u2019t start as a betting favorite against, just 13 fights into his professional career.<\/p>\n Nick Ball<\/p>\n Britain\u2019s only male world champion, Nick Ball, clung onto his title in a 12-round unanimous decision win<\/a> over Sam Goodman on the Itauma vs. Whyte undercard, registering his fourth win in a compact 14 months.<\/p>\n The pocket-sized \u201cWrecking\u201d Ball was a little more controlled and a lot less wild than in previous contests, leaning on his experience in the second half of the fight to run away with the argument.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Ball, 28, is now unbeaten after 24 pro outings and is still flirting with the allure of a potential meeting with Naoya Inoue.<\/p>\n The Liverpudlian is banking on the featherweight division being a jump too far for the Japanese \u201cMonster\u201d for a fight that could well materialize in 2026.<\/p>\n Gervonta \u201cTank\u201d Davis<\/p>\n By landing an exhibition fight on Netflix (on Nov. 14) against the new money-man of the sport, Jake Paul, Gervonta \u201cTank\u201d Davis has swallowed his competitive pride for a heavy paycheck<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to be surprised.<\/p>\n Davis\u2019 career \u2014 inside and outside of the ring \u2014 has been spiraling out of control for a number of years now, so to expect him to follow the traditional paths of the sport was naive.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Paul called and Davis answered.<\/p>\n The fight will be a confusing freak show where a result is unlikely to be awarded, but with minimal risk and maximum rewards, it\u2019s impossible not to judge Davis as a winner in this scenario before the opening bell has been rung.<\/p>\n Jake Paul and Netflix continue to do big business together.<\/p>\n (Noam Galai via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Jake Paul<\/p>\n Davis\u2019 dance partner continues to write headline after headline in the sport.<\/p>\n Jake Paul is becoming more and more powerful in the fight game<\/a> and harder and harder to ignore; his methods may be controversial, but you can rarely argue with his results.<\/p>\n Paul\u2019s Most Valuable Promotions continues to gobble up the creme de la creme of women\u2019s boxing, and when he decides to take to the ring himself, Paul’s fights are guaranteed to pull the biggest viewing figures.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n At age 28, the \u201cProblem Child\u201d isn\u2019t going anywhere anytime soon, and following his bout with Davis in November, talks are already expected to resume for a fight with heavyweight Anthony Joshua.<\/p>\n Filip Hrgovic<\/p>\n Filip Hrgovic came through fire and blood in Riyadh to notch one of the standout wins of his career, dropping David Adeleye on the way to a wide unanimous decision and hanging on to his secondary WBO heavyweight title.<\/p>\n The Croatian was made to work for it. A nasty gash over his right eyelid \u2014 opened by Adeleye\u2019s stiff jab in the second \u2014 threatened to derail him before the contest had even caught fire, but he was patched up and able to make the key breakthrough in the eighth round.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Hrgovic went on to win the contest pretty wide on the scorecards, positioning himself as one of the best second-tier heavyweights in the mix at present.<\/p>\n With a solitary defeat to Daniel Dubois on Hrgovic\u2019 ledger, there will be plenty of big names calling him out over the next 12 months, looking to use his name to springboard them into title pictures \u2014 but he\u2019s proven that he\u2019ll be no walkover.<\/p>\n LOSERS<\/p>\n Dillian Whyte<\/p>\n Dillian Whyte won\u2019t be willing to admit it just yet, but his one-round demolition at the hands of Itauma spelled the end for his career as a headliner.<\/p>\n Whyte never got going in Riyadh, looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and despite appearing to be in the best shape of his career, fought like a shell of the man who battled his way to a world title shot just a few years ago.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n He\u2019s still considered a big name in the United Kingdom, but his options as an A-side fighter are looking very thin on the ground \u2014 it\u2019s more of a case of whom he\u2019ll be fed to next.<\/p>\n Gervonta \u201cTank\u201d Davis<\/p>\n What do you mean Davis can\u2019t be on both lists?<\/p>\n Last time I checked, I made the rules around here, and \u201cTank\u201d is more than deserving of a spot on both sides of August\u2019s coin.<\/p>\n It\u2019s almost a compliment calling Davis a \u201closer\u201d for selling out and taking this mismatch contest against Jake Paul.<\/p>\n Davis had a chance to be one of this generation\u2019s greatest fighters, but seems more determined to piss the biggest and best opportunities up the wall rather than hone his undeniable craft.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Davis will celebrate his 31st birthday a week before his date with Jake Paul and, with \u201cTank\u201d himself alluding to retirement, time is almost up on a career that promised so much.<\/p>\n Lamont Roach Jr. won’t be getting his Gervonta Davis rematch after all.<\/p>\n (Al Bello via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Lamont Roach Jr.<\/p>\n Paul and Davis\u2019 gain is Lamont Roach Jr.’s loss.<\/p>\n It\u2019s no fault of his own that he has become the collateral damage in the making of November\u2019s circus bout.<\/p>\n Back on March 1, Roach battled Davis to a majority draw<\/a> in a fight many ringside felt he\u2019d won. The result sparked debate, but little resolution. While he insisted Davis was tied to a rematch by contract, Roach’s focus has now been forced to shift; rather than waiting on a return bout that may never come, he\u2019s already scanning the horizon for the next challenge.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “I’m accepting the fact that he is literally scared to get back in the ring with me,” Roach said recently. “I saw something like this coming, just getting out of the fight with me.<\/p>\n “With a YouTuber too, pretty insane.”<\/p>\n The collapse of the Davis rematch has, however, spawned an unlikely chance for Roach to mix it with IBF super lightweight champion Richardson Hitchins.<\/p>\n The pair exchanged recent messages on social media and seemingly agreed to a contest for Hitchins\u2019 140-pound title.<\/p>\n That means we are definitely getting it, right?<\/p>\n Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.<\/p>\n Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the son of a Mexican boxing icon, is awaiting trial on accusations of involvement with cartels and illegally trafficking arms into Mexico.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n I think that\u2019s probably the dictionary definition of \u201closing\u201d the month.<\/p>\n The 39-year-old former middleweight contender was deported to Mexico from the United States<\/a> in August, and has recently been released from custody<\/a> in northern Mexico while he awaits trial.<\/p>\n Chavez Jr. was last seen in the ring in June, losing a unanimous decision to Jake Paul in the 63rd bout of his professional career.<\/p>\n His next hearing will be on Nov. 24, and if found guilty, could face up to eight years behind bars.<\/p>\n Kenshiro Teraji<\/p>\n![\"NEW](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/abc11190-8830-11f0-bffd-471b16c537ed.jpeg\"\/)
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