Moses Itauma does not care about the glory or fame that has come with his meteoric rise to the top of the boxing world.
Itauma, 20, is already knocking on the door of a heavyweight world title fight after shockingly stopping Dillian Whyte less than two minutes into the first round. He has quickly become one of the most polarizing figures in the sport, but couldn’t care less about the attention fans give him for his success.
“A lot of people think that I want to be a superstar [but] I just like being a boxer,” Itauma told Ring Magazine in the locker room after beating Whyte.
“If I don’t do it, I feel out of place. I don’t feel comfortable in myself… Even Michael Buffer came up to me after the fight and said Wembley Stadium is next. I said, I’m not bothered whether I fight in Wembley or whatnot. I just know that I need to box.”
āIām not doing it to be a superstar.ā š
Moses Itauma gives his immediate reaction to The Ring after knocking out Dillian Whyte. pic.twitter.com/iMpfqpFKvp
ā Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) August 16, 2025
The win over Whyte was Itauma’s ninth consecutive knockout victory, all within the first two rounds. Many believed that Whyte, the former WBC interim heavyweight champion, would be the first fighter to drag him into deep waters, but Itauma treated him the same way he has done to every other opponent in his career.
Regardless of what his intentions are, Itauma is already one of the biggest stars in the sport. Although already older than Mike Tyson was when he set the record as the youngest heavyweight champion of all time, some already predict that he would beat undisputed king Oleksandr Usyk in a hypothetical matchup.
Itauma’s comments also contradict those of Queensberry Promotions founder Frank Warren, who said he believes his fighter can reach the same level of international superstardom as LeBron James and Tiger Woods.
IMAGO / PA Images
With yet another quick and injury-free victory, Itauma is able to return for a third fight in 2025 before the year ends. Warren teased that another high-profile matchup is on the horizon, potentially before Itauma turns 21 in December.
Itauma was already the No. 1 ranked heavyweight contender by the WBO and No. 2 by the WBA before facing Whyte on Saturday. Whyte was not ranked by most organizations, suggesting the win will have little impact on the next rankings update.
Regardless, Itauma remains the top title challenger for at least one of Usyk’s belts. And Turki Alalshikh has made it known he wants the fight. However, the WBO ordered Usyk to defend their belt against interim champion Joseph Parker, a fight that has yet to be agreed upon.
The IBF is the only top organization without an interim heavyweight champion and also lacks a No. 1-ranked contender. Itauma is only No. 6 in their rankings, but he is easily the most intriguing name of the available challengers if they wish to create an interim belt.
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