Moses Itauma has entered the Ring Journal heavyweight rankings.
The Chatham southpaw dispatched Dillian Whyte within the first spherical on Saturday night time and has been rewarded with a No. 10 score for his efforts.
Itauma replaces Nigerian Olympian Efe Ajagba on the checklist, whereas Oleksandr Usyk stays the champion.
The highest 5 is made up of Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, Agit Kabayel, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
In the meantime, Filip Hrgovic, Fabio Wardley, Zhilei Zhang, and Martin Bakole sit simply above Itauma from No.6 to No.9.
Itauma’s new rating is a sign that he’s now encroaching on world-level opposition.
The 20-year-old has barely put a foot flawed throughout an ideal 13-0 begin to life within the paid ranks and has made fast work of virtually each man he has shared the ring with.
His final 9 fights have ended inside two rounds, with the precocious expertise proving too good for home and fringe contenders.
Itauma’s 119-second demolition of former world title challenger Whyte was nearly as good a sign as any that he must take a step up at school.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh needs Itauma to combat Usyk subsequent, however the teenager’s handlers are eager for his or her man to get extra rounds below his belt earlier than then.
Jermaine Franklin has been talked about as a possible subsequent opponent.
And whereas the American has proved to have a sturdy jaw throughout his 23-2 profession, it might be perceived as a step down in opposition, on condition that he misplaced to Whyte in 2022.
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Who ought to Moses Itauma combat subsequent?
A much more smart choose could be Hrgovic. The Croatian scored a dominant determination win over David Adeleye on Itauma’s undercard over the weekend and proved he was made from sterner stuff by standing as much as 13 consecutive hooks from the British puncher.
Hrgovic is confirmed at world stage and would offer invaluable expertise for Itauma whereas appearing as an efficient yardstick to see how shut he’s to being able to problem for a serious title.
That is the thought strategy of talkSPORT’s Adam Catterall, who put Hrgovic’s title ahead whereas discussing Itauma’s subsequent steps on the White and Jordan present earlier this week.
Catterall defined: “I personally want to see him possibly combat Filip Hrgovic subsequent.
“Off the again of what Hrgovic did on the weekend, I feel that could be the proper take a look at for Moses Itauma.
“We’d get just a few extra solutions that folks wish to see, earlier than we then throw him in with the likes of the elites that we have simply talked about.”