Itauma vs Usyk

Send Fury in with Itauma to receive a proper retirement send off.

 

Would love it so much, but there is as much chance of Fury fighting Itauma as there is Fury donating one of his purses to charity.

 

I'm certainly not on the Parker hype train, I don't give him much of a chance vs Usyk but then again I don't see anyone at the minute who beats Usyk.

Itauma is 2 years away if he gets some proper fights under his belt where he has to come through some resistance and a crisis or two, I just don't see how you go from Grade c/d fighters to the number 1 in the division without the gut check in between

 

No one knows if Itauma is the next best of the generation he hasn't been tested yet he's not even took a solid punch on the chin.

Why would you put a 13 fight novice who hasn't gone past 6 rounds and rush his development when he hasn't been tested against a world class opponent ?

Even Mike Tyson went 10 rounds a few times before he went into a title shot at an early age.

Put Itauma in with Hrgovic who has a good chin and let him get some rounds in and have a real test.

 

Lets play devils advocate here, what if throwing in Itauma against Usyk takes something away from Itauma through defeat? Like he may end up on the wrong end of either a total schooling over 12 where he struggles to land anything clean and takes lots of punishment like Jeff Lacy vs Calzaghe or he could be brutally ko'd and never be the same... I just don't get the rush with Itauma to be put in with Usyk as I'd rather he carved out his own career in a proper fashion...

Would I watch it next fight? of course I would but doesn't change my thoughts on it being too soon

 

Wilder was a heavy favourite over Parker and a top 5 ranked Heavyweight.

Has Itauma beaten any top 10 ranked Heavyweights ? No.

 

I'm not saying he's not talented i'm saying we need to see him prove it against a world class top 10 Heavyweight. Itauma looks more impressive than Parker regarding the eye test but we haven't seen him take a punch or be tested or go rounds against a world class opponent.

I don't see what the rush is to throw him in with Usyk let him fight someone like Hrgovic who has the chin to extend him into the 2nd half of the fight so he can get some experience. Then have an all British showdown with someone like Dubois and then after that yeah i agree let him fight for a belt.

 

But the flipside to that is say you put Itauma in with Usyk and gets beaten up that could ruin his career because we've often seen fighters get rushed into a fight they lose their 1st fight and then they're never the same.

To agree to disagree yes Itauma is talented and definitely has potential i'm excited to see his progress.

But i don't agree Usyk should be his next fight i'd like to see him in with a world class Heavyweight first.

So that's all i have to say nothing more to be said.

 

I'd really like him to fight Hrgovic because he's one of the most durable Heavyweights around today and he could extend Itauma into the 2nd half of the fight which is what Itauma needs for experience IMO.

And on the plus side if Itauma stops Hrgovic impressively that's a big statement IMO considering Hrgovic has a good chin.

 

Because some people peak at different times, yes he’s only had 13 fights but he’s only 20 and he may never look this good and fresh again, whilst he is in great form and looks really good, get in there and fight Usyk.

 

Personally I’d keep him busy against fairly well known durable fighters (Franklin, Miller etc) for the next year until Usyk retires and then take over the division. Try and get some rounds in him.

Joshua went 12 rounds with Franklin 2 years ago so there’s already a set narrative to use with the public should Itauma stop him.