- Frank Warren confirms Moses Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) will have one more tune-up fight in July before a world heavyweight title shot in late 2026
- Most likely route: winner of WBO champion Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois on May 9 — both fighters are Warren-promoted, making negotiations straightforward
- Alternative path includes WBC route — Itauma himself has expressed interest in a showdown with former IBF interim challenger Filip Hrgovic
- At 20 years old, Itauma would be one of the youngest heavyweight world title challengers in modern boxing history
The heavyweight division moves quickly when you knock people out the way Moses Itauma does. Twenty years old. Fourteen fights. Twelve knockouts. And now, according to his promoter Frank Warren, one fight away from a world title shot.
That is the plan Warren laid out in the hours after Itauma's fifth-round stoppage of Jermaine Franklin at Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday night. One more fight — likely in July — to keep Itauma sharp and active. Then the big one before the end of the year.
The Wardley-Dubois Connection
The most natural path leads directly through the WBO heavyweight title. Fabio Wardley defends against Daniel Dubois on May 9 in what is expected to be one of the biggest domestic heavyweight fights of the year. Both fighters are promoted by Warren's Queensberry Promotions, which means the business side of a potential Itauma challenge would be relatively straightforward.
If Wardley wins, you would have two Warren heavyweights on a collision course — the champion looking to establish himself on the world stage, and the young knockout artist looking to make history. If Dubois reclaims the belt, the story writes itself — the man who lost the IBF title looking to prove he belongs, against the kid who might be the future of the division.
Either way, Warren holds all the cards.
The WBC Alternative
The WBO route is the most likely, but it is not the only option. Itauma himself has spoken about a potential fight with Filip Hrgovic, the Croatian who previously held the IBF interim title. That fight could serve as a final stepping stone or could carry WBC title implications depending on how the sanctioning body structures its rankings in the coming months.
The WBC heavyweight picture is complicated by Oleksandr Usyk's multi-belt status and his scheduled defence against Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids in May. If Usyk vacates or moves on, there could be an opening for Itauma on that side of the division too.
How Good Is Itauma?
That is still the big question. The Franklin win was impressive — knockdowns in the third and fifth rounds, genuine stopping power, and the kind of composure you do not normally see in a 20-year-old heavyweight. Franklin is a credible opponent who went the distance with Anthony Joshua. Stopping him inside five rounds is a statement.
But a world title fight is a different animal. The step up in class from Franklin to Wardley, Dubois or any reigning champion is significant. Itauma has the power, the size and the youth to trouble anyone. What we do not know yet is how he handles adversity — a cut, a body shot that takes his legs, a fighter who refuses to wilt in the early rounds.
We will find out soon enough. Warren is moving quickly. The July tune-up will need to be someone credible enough to test Itauma without derailing the plan. Then, if all goes well, we could see Moses Itauma challenging for a world heavyweight title before his 21st birthday.
The heavyweight division has a new force. And his promoter is not hanging about.