Itauma Stops Franklin in Five — Warren Says World Title Next

• Moses Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) stopped Jermaine Franklin (24-3, 15 KOs) by TKO at 1:33 of round 5 at Co-op Live Manchester on DAZN — knockdowns in rounds 3 and 5
• Frank Warren confirmed post-fight that he's "very confident" Itauma will fight for a world heavyweight title in 2026
• Itauma is ranked WBO #1 and WBA #1 — a mandatory shot at either Wardley's WBO belt or Usyk's WBA title is within reach

The Performance

We predicted Itauma by stoppage in round five. We'll take that. But the manner of the victory told us more than the result itself. For the first two rounds, Itauma was patient. He used his jab, he moved his head, he looked like a fighter who'd been working on the technical aspects of his game rather than just relying on raw power. Franklin, to his credit, came out competitive and made Itauma think in those early rounds. Then the third round happened. Itauma sat down on a right hand that sent Franklin to the canvas with the kind of force that makes 20,000 people gasp simultaneously. Franklin got up — because Franklin always gets up, the man went the distance with Joshua — but the damage was done. The confidence drained visibly from the American's body language, and Itauma sensed it immediately. Rounds four was controlled. Itauma worked behind the jab, picked his shots, and refused to rush. This was the most impressive part of the performance. A younger, less disciplined Itauma would have charged in looking for the finish. This version was content to let the accumulation do its work. Smart fighting from a 20-year-old. Brilliant coaching from the Queensberry team. The fifth round finish was clinical. Another knockdown, another moment where Franklin's bravery couldn't match Itauma's power, and the referee made the right call. Job done. Statement made. The heavyweight division has a new force, and he's only going to get better.

Warren's World Title Promise

Frank Warren doesn't say things he doesn't mean. When the promoter stood in the ring after the fight and said he was "very confident" that Itauma would fight for a world title this year, that wasn't hype — that was a plan being confirmed publicly. Itauma is ranked number one with both the WBO and WBA. The mandatory positions are real. The leverage is there. The WBO route leads to Fabio Wardley, who defends against Daniel Dubois on May 9. If Wardley wins, an all-British WBO heavyweight title fight between Wardley and Itauma would be enormous. If Dubois wins, the same logic applies. Either way, Itauma as the WBO mandatory challenger is in position to demand his shot before the end of 2026. The WBA route leads ultimately to Usyk, though the "regular" champion Murat Gassiev sits between Itauma and the full title. Either path represents a massive step up, but after what we saw last night, there's no reason to think Itauma isn't ready.

What Franklin Showed Us

Jermaine Franklin lost, but he didn't disgrace himself. He came to Manchester, he competed for five rounds against the most dangerous young heavyweight in the world, and he made Itauma work harder than most expected. The American's durability — surviving two knockdowns and staying competitive between them — confirmed what we already knew: Franklin is a solid gatekeeper-level heavyweight who gives anyone a fight. The losses to Whyte, Joshua, and now Itauma tell a consistent story. Franklin is good enough to be in the ring with the best, but not quite good enough to beat them. That's not an insult — that's the reality of the heavyweight division. Franklin will continue to be a credible opponent for any rising contender looking to build their resume.

The Verdict

Itauma passed the test. Not just by winning — by winning with composure, patience, and tactical discipline that we hadn't seen from him before. The power was always there. The chin was always there. What last night showed us was the boxing brain developing to match the physical gifts. At 20 years old, with 14 fights and 12 knockouts, Moses Itauma is ready for the world stage. Warren knows it. The division knows it. And after last night at Co-op Live, the whole boxing world knows it.