Moses Itauma is living his own Rocky story… he will be a household name before the year is out as he heads to the top
US baseball legend Yogi Berra’s priceless remark “it’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future” always comes to mind at New Year.
Crystal-ball gazing can be a hazardous game — but there’s every reason to believe heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma will be a household name before the end of 2025.
Having seen the debuts of all ten British men who became world champions, it was not difficult to forecast Frank Bruno, Lennox Lewis, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois would go on to bring the richest prize in sport to these shores.
Tyson Fury was the surprise package. Few felt he could beat Wladimir Klitschko in Germany, which launched an amazingly colourful and controversial career.
But I am prepared to risk ridicule by suggesting Menacing Moses — who only turned 20 six days ago — may turn out to be the best of the lot.
Itauma’s story is another of those boxing tales that sounds as if it belongs more to the realms of Rocky-like fiction than fact.
He was born in Slovakia to a Nigerian father who moved the family here 11 years ago to escape rampant racism and settled them in Chatham.
Itauma joined the local amateur boxing club when he was nine.
And, remarkably, he remained unbeaten before turning pro two years ago having won golds at various levels — schools, juniors, European youth and world youth.
Moses is physically mature way beyond his years and his England schools coach John Stubbs said: “I honestly believe since he was 12 years old he has been destined for greatness.”
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From the age of 15, he has sparred with all this country’s top big men — including Fury and Joshua — which has given him invaluable tuition.
Before his first pro fight his manager Francis Warren announced that Itauma’s aim was to be the youngest heavyweight champion of the world.
That meant beating Mike Tyson’s record of 20 years and 145 days.
It was a clever PR ploy to earn publicity but was never an authentic target as it would have meant Itauma winning one of the titles before May 22.
Itauma is unrealistically compared to a young Tyson because of his power-packed punches — sending nine of his 11 victims to KO defeats.
And jaws dropped open in admiration at the way he demolished experienced Aussie Demsey McKean in less than two minutes on the Usyk-Fury undercard two weeks ago.
Dedicated Moses seems to be blessed with a cool temperament, is so quick on his feet for a 6ft 4in, near 18-stone man and his hand speed and timing lights the fuse that detonates dynamite in his fists.
But we can never be sure on any potential heavyweight superstar until we see how they react to being badly hurt.
When I started writing about boxing more than 60 years ago, I wondered if I would ever see a British fighter acclaimed as the best heavyweight on Earth.
We had to wait until 1993 for Lewis to emulate Bob Fitzsimmons and end a 96-year drought.
Since then, Fury and Joshua have dominated the division for the last ten years — until bogeyman Oleksandr Usyk came on the scene.
Now, former champions Fury and Joshua are facing being referred to in the past tense.
And Dubois, the IBF champion, is carrying the torch for Britain — but he will be constantly looking over his shoulder as Itauma stalks him.
We all know heavyweight boxing can be a precarious trade.
And I am not unaware that somebody also once proclaimed: “You can trust a crystal ball about as far as you can throw it.”