Heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) further ‘arrived’ in the O2 Arena, North Greenwich, London on Saturday night (July 27).
The nineteen year old southpaw scored an impressive 2nd round knockout of Poland’s aging double ‘world’ title contender Mariusz Wach on the big Joe Joyce-Derek Chisora heavyweight show.
Despite Wach’s questionable condition and desire it was an emphatic victory over a seasoned campaigner who’s fought in good company. The double right-hook finish was impressive.
Itauma, a Slovakian-born Brit who fights out of Chatham, Kent has already fought and recently won impressively in Saudi Arabia and is being groomed for a tilt at the British heavyweight title, and likely far beyond. He has a lofty ambition to beat Mike Tyson’s record as the youngest world heavyweight champion, when ‘Iron Mike’ famously “Showed plenty at 20”. Itauma will be 20 at the end of 2024, so will need to get ‘his skates on’ !
The promising heavyweight is a key component of a triumvirate of boxers from London’s nearby county of Kent making a splash in worldly waters. He is joined by new European super-bantamweight champion Dennis ‘The Menace’ McCann (16-0-1, 8 KOs) and British and Commonwealth lightweight champion Sam ‘Midge’ Noakes (14-0, 13 KOs).
McCann delivered a career best performance by emphatically reversing last year’s draw with British-based Romanian Ionut Baluta. He dominated him throughout and clearly won on points.
All three Kent-based boxers are promoted by Queensberry led by hall-of-fame promoter Frank Warren and his immediate family.
Noakes may not have the earning potential of a heavyweight but he could be the pick of the crop. He is a two-time British Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) champion, turning professional between Olympic cycles. Since then, he’s compiled an impressive record and seamlessly gained British, European and Commonwealth lightweight titles. Big fights await, possibly first against co-British unbeaten prospect Mark Chamberlain.
Charismatic ‘cheeky boy’ McCann, similarly comes from the Kent county town of Maidstone. He’s also compiled his undefeated record on Queensberry shows and has all the skills to achieve much moving forward. Saturday was a standout performance for him clearly outpointing a seasoned opponent.
The main event saw perennial contender and entertainer Derek Chisora surprisingly outpoint Joe Joyce in a ‘slugfest’ ending in a clear points decision. It was Chisora’s 49th pro fight and he promises a 50th. Joyce in his third recent defeat must now re-group and at 38 his hopes of winning a ‘world’ title now look limited.
The Undisputed 