Ben Davison lowers Expectations for next opponent Ahead of Moses Itauma’s Next Fight

Rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma is expected to return to the ring before the end of 2025—though fans hoping for a marquee opponent may be left disappointed.

The 20-year-old last fought in a statement-making first-round knockout of Dillian Whyte, a performance that added significant momentum to his already growing reputation. While Whyte represented a slight step up from previous opponents like Mike Balogun and Demsey McKean, he was still dispatched with similar ease, reinforcing Itauma’s status as a dangerous and exciting contender.

Now undefeated at 13-0 with 11 knockouts, Itauma has climbed the rankings of all four major sanctioning bodies, putting him in theoretical reach of a world title opportunity. However, with great promise comes heightened expectations—and pressure.

Head coach Ben Davison has openly claimed that Itauma is ready to face unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, but the Ukrainian appears in no rush to return to the ring or announce his next title defense.

In the meantime, a scheduled bout between Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley on October 25 for the WBO interim title will likely produce Usyk’s next mandatory challenger. As for Itauma, he’s expected to stay active with a fight in December.

Names like Filip Hrgovic and Jamaine Franklin Jr. have been mentioned as potential opponents. Hrgovic recently outpointed David Adeleye, while Franklin edged out Ivan Dychko in a contentious decision earlier this month. Still, Davison revealed both fighters are hesitant to face Itauma—unless the payday is significant.

“Those are the two on everybody’s lips,” Davison told Sky Sports. “But they’re not interested. It’s the same with most opponents right now. They just want too much money to fight him. It makes things difficult.”

Davison admitted that if a meaningful fight can’t be made, Itauma may need to take a step down in competition and regroup for a bigger opportunity in early 2026.

Another name floated during the Sky Sports podcast was Martin Bakole, who recently fought to a controversial draw with Efe Ajagba. However, Davison dismissed Bakole as a compelling opponent, suggesting his stock had dropped following his second-round loss to Parker in February.