Moses Itauma is setting his sights on clinching a world heavyweight championship at the earliest opportunity, according to his longtime trainer Ben Davison. The 21‑year‑old prospect has already accelerated his ascent through the heavyweight ranks, delivering two dominant performances that have left his camp convinced he is ready for the sport's elite level.
In his most recent outings, Itauma dispatched former title challenger Dillian Whyte in a single, decisive round, then followed that with a ruthless victory over Jermaine Franklin, stopping the seasoned opponent before the end of the fifth round. Those back‑to‑back stoppages have convinced his trainers that the young fighter has the skill set, power, and composure required to compete with the division's best. "The objective now is to line up a world‑title fight for him as quickly as we can," Davison told Sky Sports.
"I can't go into the specifics because that’s up to Queensberry Promotions, Frank Warren, and George Warren, but the ambition is crystal clear." Davison added that the timeline is especially urgent for Itauma, who is eager to claim a belt before he turns 22. "He wants to be a world champion before he hits that birthday," the trainer said.
"He’s in a very favorable position with several sanctioning bodies, so it may simply be a matter of a champion vacating a title or an opponent stepping aside." At present, Itauma’s professional résumé is still relatively brief. He has competed in just 14 bouts, winning 12 of them inside the distance, a testament to his finishing ability. Davison explained that matchmaking at this stage is a balance of risk and reward. "We’ve tested him against a variety of opponents to see how he handles the rounds.
The gym work and the fights have shown us that if a challenger can’t survive the distance, the decision is clear." The trainer did not shy away from the possibility of a high‑stakes clash with Agit Kabayel for a vacant WBC heavyweight title. "If there’s a world title on the line, we’re all in," Davison said, emphasizing that the risk‑versus‑reward calculus now favors taking the leap to the top tier. Complicating the picture, the WBO heavyweight championship could eventually become an avenue for Itauma, though the current holder is his own gym‑mate, Fabio Wardley. Wardley is slated to face Daniel Dubois on May 9, and should he emerge victorious, the WBO may designate a mandatory challenger.
Davison, however, does not foresee a direct clash between the two. "If Fabio wins, Oleksandr Usyk has already indicated interest in fighting him. In that scenario, the WBO would likely see Fabio vacate the belt to pursue a unification bout with Usyk, which would remove any mandatory obstacle for Moses," he explained.
"Unification fights typically take precedence over mandatory defenses, so I don’t see that becoming a problem." Looking ahead, Itauma’s camp is weighing several pathways to a world title. One scenario involves negotiating a fight for the vacant WBC belt, which would place him directly on a championship stage without waiting for a mandatory order. Another route could be to position him as a challenger for the WBA or IBF titles, depending on the landscape of mandatory challengers and the willingness of current champions to defend.
The trainer highlighted that the heavyweight division is currently in a state of flux, with multiple champions and a crowded field of contenders, creating opportunities for a fast‑rising star like Itauma to slip into a title picture. Beyond the immediate title chase, Davison stressed the importance of continued development. "Experience will come with time, but we’ve already seen enough in the gym and the ring to know he can handle the pressure of a world‑title fight," he said.
"The next step is to secure that opportunity and give Moses the platform to prove he belongs among the elite." In summary, Moses Itauma’s trajectory is accelerating at a remarkable pace. After two emphatic stoppage victories, his team believes he has earned the chance to fight for a world heavyweight crown before his 22nd birthday. Whether that comes via the WBC, WBO, or another sanctioning body, the focus remains on aligning the right fight, navigating mandatory obligations, and capitalizing on the current volatility within the heavyweight division.
The ultimate goal is clear: to see Itauma hoist a world title belt as soon as the stars align, cementing his place among boxing’s newest heavyweight champions.