'what Next?' - Itauma Blows Away Whyte In One Round

Moses Itauma needed little than 2 minutes to emphatically extremity Dillian Whyte and further fortify his credentials arsenic nan adjacent heavyweight star.

Headlining a paper for nan first time, nan 20-year-old Briton roseate to nan juncture successful what was billed arsenic nan biggest trial of his profession to date.

After immoderate precise and powerful combinations, Itauma sent Whyte, 37, down pinch a thundering right.

With 119 seconds connected nan clock, referee Mikael Hook waved disconnected nan conflict aft Whyte had climbed backmost to his feet.

Itauma has now won each 13 of his fights arsenic a professional, pinch 11 of those victories coming by knockout.

"What is next? I will conflict anyone they put successful beforehand of me," Itauma told DAZN.

"[The crowd] are saying [undisputed champion Oleksandr] Usyk. The squad mentioned they want maine to get immoderate rounds out. Any of them tin happen."

Itauma has only gone beyond nan 2nd information connected 2 occasions and has 8 first-round stoppages connected his record.

Itauma has shown maturity beyond his years since winning successful conscionable 23 seconds connected his master debut successful 2023 - and has continued to excel pinch each measurement up.

Heavyweight rivals Joseph Parker, Derek Chisora and Lawrence Okolie were among those watching astatine ringside arsenic nan rising prima put connected different connection performance.

The Slovakia-born combatant walked first to nan ring, contempt being nan A-side, but was made to hold for much than 3 minutes - longer than nan conflict lasted - by Whyte, who delayed his entrance.

After throwing a fewer early feints to get a publication connected his opponent, Itauma started to unload and quickly recovered nan scope for his dense hands.

Whyte was intelligibly emotion nan powerfulness and backmost connected nan ropes arsenic Itauma picked his shots carefully.

A correct hook to nan temple proved nan telling rustle and, contempt bravely getting backmost to his feet, Whyte was deemed not fresh to continue.

"How he did it, his temperament, power and composure - he fights amended than guys astatine their highest and he is 20 years of age," Queensberry's Frank Warren, who promotes Itauma, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He did a occupation connected personification who has been astatine nan champion levels."

Despite getting into nan style of his profession - weighing nan lightest for 10 years - Whyte could not trim it pinch Itauma and questions linger complete his future.

Itauma's dreams of becoming nan youngest heavyweight champion successful history ended successful May, but this triumph puts him firmly connected way for a title changeable successful boxing's glamour section successful nan adjacent 12 months.

With Tyson Fury successful retirement, Anthony Joshua successful nan twilight of his profession and Daniel Dubois losing his IBF title to Usyk past month, Itauma erstwhile again demonstrated he is nan awesome British heavyweight dream successful waiting.

Itauma has been cautiously managed done nan first 2 years of his profession and it is improbable he will beryllium rushed into a conflict beyond his intends to put each that difficult activity successful jeopardy.

Undisputed champion Usyk remains nan man to beat, but Itauma is happy to return different measurement earlier perchance going up against nan two-weight great.

"I put connected a capacity for you guys truthful it's now 'who's next?'," Itauma said.

"I don't want to telephone retired Usyk because I don't judge I merit nan opportunity, but guys that do merit nan opportunity - I want to conflict those lot.

"So possibly Agit Kabayel, possibly Joseph Parker. Maybe them type of names."

Parker is surely not acrophobic to return connected a situation - arsenic he showed by taking connected nan wide avoided Martin Bakole connected conscionable 2 days' announcement and earning a stunning win.

"[Itauma] is simply a awesome talent," Parker told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

"He put connected a awesome show successful position of power, aggression and picking his shots. For a 20 year-old to beryllium nether nan lights, he took nan unit on.

"I would emotion to stock nan ringing pinch him 1 time and we astir apt will."