Moses Itauma has made it a habit of stopping all of his opponents in their tracks, as he did again Saturday in Saudi Arabia by flattening Australian Demsey McKean in the first round.
So it was quite a sight to watch the replays of Itauma getting halted himself following the bout for a brief conversation with a man who became heavyweight champion of the world at age 20.
Mike Tyson, positioned ringside to view the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury heavyweight unification that Usyk won by three 116-112 scorecards, stopped the UK’s promising Itauma, 19, for a chat.
“How many fights (will) you get a year?” asked Tyson, who became champion with a quick knockout dismissal of the man who retired Muhammad Ali – Trevor Berbick – nearly 40 years ago.
“A lot,” Itauma answered. “I’m thinking eight fights this year (2025), eight fights next year (2026). Then we’ll see what we can come up with.”
After Saturday’s showing, in which he decked McKean with two massive overhand lefts, Itauma has some time to let the heavyweight division play out.
Usyk is likely headed to a later 2025 unification with the winner of the February 22 IBF title defense by Daniel Dubois and former WBO champion Joseph Parker while Fury could turn to a long-awaited showdown against fellow veteran former champion and countryman Anthony Joshua.
But it seems clear Itauma’s future is being fast-tracked under the supervision of Fury and Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, and with Joshua trainer Ben Davison in his corner.
“I want eight quality fights, not eight bums,” Itauma told Tyson after compiling four bouts this year.
The elder provided some wisdom when hearing that.
“Any fight you fight is quality, because anything can happen in there,” Tyson schooled. “Do you know what I’m saying? There’s no such thing as a bum. I used to say people are bums… That’s hard work.”
Itauma nodded that he understood.
Tyson, 58, cracked a reference that he viewed Jake Paul as a bum before their November 15 fight in Texas that Paul won by decision.
“You can learn from every fight,” Itauma said.
Tyson added, “I learned mostly from losses.”
Iauma clasped hands with the champion he hopes to one day follow.
“That you, I appreciate that,” Itauma said.