Too Young, Too Fast? Not for Moses Itauma – The Teenage Tank Roars On

There’s something brilliantly jarring about watching a 19-year-old make grown men crumble like damp Weetabix, and Moses Itauma did just that to Mike Balogun in Glasgow. The second-round demolition job wasn’t just dominant – it was downright cheeky. Balogun, a former NFL lad who probably thought his chin could take more than a puff of wind, was put on the deck three times before the ref, mercifully, stepped in.

Frank Warren looked like the proud dad at a school play. But instead of clapping at his lad’s papier-mâché volcano, he’s trying to navigate boxing’s version of A-levels without skipping any coursework. “We could have rolled the dice,” Warren said. “But Moses isn’t in this for a quick buck. He’s got time on his side and we want him world champion and reigning – not just visiting.”

So don’t expect Bakole or Parker next. Frank’s made it crystal clear: “I’m sick to death of hearing about Bakole,” he muttered post-fight, presumably while smashing a cuppa down backstage. Parker? Not likely either. He’s tangled up in the WBO interim circus and possibly heading for a bigger payday against the Usyk-Dubois winner.

Instead, Moses is likely to lead the undercard at Wembley Stadium on July 19 for that very same Usyk-Dubois sequel. Front-row seat to the drama, spotlight gently simmering – just how Frank likes it. “He’s learning under the lights,” he said, “and that’s where the great ones are made.”

And let’s not forget – this kid’s been battering blokes since most of us were still copying homework. Back when he was in school, he famously sparred with Lawrence Okolie. Anthony Fowler recalls the madness: “He was relentless. For three rounds straight, it was just non-stop leather. I think even Okolie started wondering what planet this kid came from.”

At just 12-0 with 10 knockouts, Itauma’s record sparkles – but it’s the manner of those wins that’s got boxing heads purring. Calm, calculated, and carrying cannons in both hands, he’s being compared to a young Lennox by some.

Where does it all go next? Slowly, says Frank. But slowly in boxing still means fists flying and names climbing. Whoever stands opposite him in July is in for a rough night – and they’ll know it the moment Itauma stares them down with that quietly terrifying teenage grin.