Itauma Demolishes Whyte in 1st Round: Shocking KO in Saudi Arabia

Moses Itauma, considered a future heavyweight boxing star, added a resounding victory by defeating Dillian Whyte in the first round this Saturday. The 20-year-old English boxer achieved his eighth knockout victory in the first round, after finishing a staggering Whyte with a right hook in just 119 seconds, in a heavyweight non-title fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

What’s next? I’ll fight anyone they put in front of me. If I’m being honest, Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel deserve a shot at the title, but include me with any of them. I’m ranked number 1 with the WBO, and Parker is up there too, so maybe that can happen.

Moses Itauma

I’m only 20 years old, so I have 10 or 15 years left. If I have the opportunity [to fight for a world title], I will be a world champion 100 percent.

Moses Itauma

Whyte, who was stopped in the sixth round by Tyson Fury for the WBC world title in April 2022, was Itauma’s most experienced opponent to date, but Itauma easily outboxed him.

This was Itauma’s biggest step on his way to becoming the latest English heavyweight world champion, following the recent reigns of Anthony Joshua, Fury and Daniel Dubois. Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) is ahead of the progress of those three at the same age, but a title opportunity is still far away, as Oleksandr Usyk holds the four world belts, and his next two opponents are expected to be Parker and possibly Fury. Whyte (31-4, 21 KOs), 37, who moved to Brixton in London from Jamaica in his childhood, has lost some momentum in recent years, but remains a dangerous puncher who has victories over Parker (2018) and Alexander Povetkin (2020). Itauma, a 6-foot-4-inch southpaw, born in Slovakia but who moved to Kent, England, as a child, showed fast hands, smooth footwork, and concussive power in sweeping Whyte. Whyte made Itauma wait in the ring before his entrance, but Itauma wasted no time in getting his jab going in the first round. It was a matter of seconds before Itauma began to connect power punches, and after hurting Whyte with a left hook to the temple, he followed up with a barrage of punches to the head and body. Whyte was unsteady and the end seemed inevitable. It came quickly when Itauma sent Whyte falling sideways into the ropes with a right hook to the temple. It was another quick display from Itauma, possibly the most exciting heavyweight right now, as he moves towards a world title opportunity.