Moses Itauma will fight Jermaine Franklin on his return to the ring.
The pair will lock horns at the top of Queensberry’s Magnificent 7 bill on January 24 at The Co-op Live in Manchester, with Willy Hutchinson vs Ezra Taylor acting as chief support.
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Itauma extended his professional boxing record to 13-0 in his last fight — a first-round stoppage win over Dillian WhyteCredit: Getty
Briton Nathan Heaney will also return on the card against Gerome Warburton, having not fought since outpointing Grant Dennis in July.
Shakiel Thompson vs Brad Pauls, Zak Miller vs Liam Davies, and Aqib Fiaz vs Jordan Flynn are also set to throw down at the Manchester event.
Founder of Queensberry, Frank Warren, is celebrating 45 years as a licensed British boxing promoter through the Magnificent 7 card.
“We are thrilled to be delivering such a strong Magnificent 7 bounty for the fans in our first UK show of 2026,” Warren said.
Moses Itauma fight offer rejected by top-rated 6ft 6in heavyweight contender
“It is a statement of intent for the New Year and a sign of things to come… This show will also effectively celebrate my 45th year in the professional business, and I believe this card certainly does justice to the occasion.
“I am very happy to have our heavyweight prodigy, Moses, topping the bill in another perfect test of his unquestionable credentials against a very tough American in Jermain Franklin.”
Moses Itauma to fight Jermaine Franklin on highly anticipated return
Itauma is one of the hottest prospects in boxing right now.
He stopped British boxing veteran Dillian Whyte in one round in his last fight.
The 20-year-old was originally scheduled to make a comeback on Queensberry’s December 13 show in Manchester against Kubrat Pulev, alongside Whyte vs Derek Chisora 3.
But after reports suggested Chisora’s meeting with Whyte was off, Itauma was pulled from the card.
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Itauma is just 20 years old and already 13-0 in his pro career, having made easy work of British boxing legend Dillian Whyte in his last boutCredit: Getty
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Franklin tasted just the second defeat of his career to ‘AJ’ in April 2023Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom
The Chatham Southpaw will now get the chance to move one step closer to a fight with Oleksandr Usyk through a blockbuster heavyweight clash with Franklin in the New Year.
Franklin, 32, is on a three-fight winning streak in the squared circle, having only suffered two defeats in his 26-fight career.
His last defeat in the ring came at the hands of Anthony Joshua, when the pair met at the O2 Arena in London two years ago.
Franklin had previously tasted his first professional defeat to Whyte just five months prior in London.
The American outpointed Ivan Dychko in his last fight just two months ago at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Itauma is currently ranked No. 1 at heavyweight by the WBA and WBO, and No. 4 by the WBC.
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Itauma has been compared to a young Mike TysonCredit: Getty
Several names, including Pulev, David Adeleye, and Michael Hunter, had been floated around the boxing world as potential opponents for his next fight.
This month, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri even revealed that newly crowned WBO interim champion Fabio Wardley, who shockingly stopped Joseph Parker last month, could be ordered to defend his belt against Itauma before a blockbuster clash with the Ukrainian.
That was if Usyk had a ‘justifiable reason’ to delay his mandatory defence against Wardley, having been sidelined due to a back injury.
Usyk’s team manager, Sergey Lapin, suggested this month that both Itauma and Wardley face off to secure a fight against his heavyweight king.
Roy Jones Jr: Itauma reminds me of a young Mike Tyson
In August, Roy Jones Jr compared Itauma to Mike Tyson in a conversation with talkSPORT.
“Moses reminds me of a young Mike Tyson,” Jones explained.
Roy Jones Jr reveals huge similarity between Moses Itauma and Mike Tyson
“And the reason I say that is because, when you put someone in front of him who he can hit, they are going down.
“Dillian Whyte was a guy who could get hit, and he got him out of there. That is exactly how a young Mike Tyson rolled.
“Mike did that on his way up. I like this from Moses because it is something exciting that he could get to, almost what Mike Tyson did.
“That’s a beautiful thought, he may be better or he may not get there, but his potential is seriously exciting.”