Moses Itauma Is Eager To Fight Anthony Joshua After Statement Knockout

Moses Itauma has publicly talked of the possibility of a fight with two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Last weekend, Itauma made history at Manchester, Co-op Live arena, as he became the first fighter to stop Jermaine Franklin and earned a knockout in five rounds.

Being asked whether he believed that he would ever get a chance to fight Joshua, Itauma stood his ground, stating that if the fight could be arranged, it would be an opportunity worth taking.

The knockout over Franklin, who had already fought both Joshua and Dillian Whyte, has strengthened the argument of Itauma as an upcoming heavyweight. Having a professional record of 14-0 with 12 stoppages, Itauma is now squarely on the road to possibly becoming the youngest British heavyweight champion in history.

Will the Fight Be Realized?

Personal tragedy has marred the 2026 campaign of Joshua. There was a deadly car crash earlier in the year that killed a number of his close friends, which postponed his return to training. Promoter Eddie Hearn has said Joshua may return in late summer, probably at the end of July or August.

Although a much-awaited fight between Tyson Fury and Joshua is still the most important one, Moses Itauma has become a serious competitor. According to Trainer Warren, Itauma was the best heavyweight he had ever worked with. Warren also mentioned that although the Joshua fight is a possibility, the team of Itauma is looking at the direct route to a world title fight with Oleksandr Usyk later this year.

Tactical Breakdown: Southpaw vs. Orthodox

From a technical perspective, the fight would feature a classic Southpaw (Itauma) versus Orthodox (Joshua) dynamic. Moses Itauma would try to keep his foot on the outside of Joshua’s stance. This would help him create angles to throw with his left hand. If Moses can get into this position early, it could make Joshua go on the defensive. This is what Moses Itauma did in the round against Franklin. He saw openings and grabbed the opportunity with powerful combinations.

Itauma frequently uses body feints, which can prompt his opponents to lower their guard. When they do this, Moses Itauma can hit them with combinations to the head and body. Joshua has a problem with body attacks. He tends to overreact when someone hits him in the body. Itauma could use this to his advantage.

On the other hand, Joshua would try to use his reach to control the distance between him and Moses Itauma. To stop him from being aggressive, Joshua would likely use his check hook and straight right hand. He used his right hand to knock down Francis Ngannou in a previous fight.

What’s On the Horizon?

The heavyweight division is changing all the time. A fight between Moses Itauma and Joshua would be very important. Moses Itauma is getting better and better. He is a tough fighter, but Joshua has lots of experience, and his reach is an advantage. This would make for an evenly matched fight in the coming months.