Moses Itauma vs Jermaine Franklin targeted

Have you even seen Whyte-Franklin? It sure doesn't sound like it.

Many thought Franklin beat Whyte. It was certainly a close fight and one of the judges scored it even.

 

Well no one was calling for Jared Anderson to be thrown in with Usyk next, now were they? No one was claiming he'd wipe out everyone in the HW division. They are saying that about Moses. Which is my point. The hype around this kid is silly at this point. Personally I think he's more talented than Anderson, too. Definitely faster and a bit more polished with his work. Still, they aren't miles apart. Yet the older, more experienced, going up against better competition guy wasn't getting anywhere near the slurping this Moses kid is. And he caught Turki's eye, took a big step up that he wasn't ready for, and got smashed. If people think the same thing can't happen to Itauma they're fooling themselves.

And like I said, no, Forrest isn't some world beater. But he was on a run of being in with actual legit HWs and he was holding his own and providing some resistance. None of Moses' opponents are doing anything for him. They're there for a paycheck to roll over. It's why Moses has yet to face an undefeated prospect. Now, those guys can have manufactured records of course and not actually be any good, but those are at least dudes that will be trying to win. You can't honestly watch the Wach fight or the Whyte fight and think those guys were even trying. They hardly throw punches and as soon as Moses hits them once they cringe away, shell up, and fall over so the ref will wave it off.

I've just seen a pattern with these British fighters, especially ones from Frank Warren's stable. They get very specific set up fights, get maneuvered into good positions with the sanctioning bodies, and have an entire propaganda team constantly bigging them up while ignoring anything that might even just slightly derail the delirious hype train.

Dubois would be a perfect example of this. Kid fails miserably in his first step up fight versus Joe Joyce. Most guys who fail like that get lost in the weeds for years or their career is just over. Not for this kid, though! He gets a bunch of cans to fight then gets a fixed fight with Lerena where he looks awful but Lerena (also a Frank Warren fighter) knows the score and stops punching so Dubois can win. Then that magically makes Dubois the mando for Usyk. Dubois fails miserably against Usyk and quits again, but Frank somehow is able to make the story about how an obvious low blow wasn't a low blow and actually Dubois got robbed and Usyk is a cheat. You'd think ol' Dan would be back of the queue again, but no, he's getting big money fights in Saudi. Fights a morbidly obese Miller and doesn't look spectacular doing it and all of a sudden Miller was some big time tough test and a bully and Dubois is a new man according to the Frank Warren funded British press. Headbutts Hrgovic to death and not a peep about his dirty tactics, just wow, how amazing is it that Dubois beat this guy! Then he gets gifted Usyk's IBF belt to make him champ. Make that make sense. Fights the worst version of AJ we've ever seen, takes ages to get rid of him after having him basically out in the 1st round, and now Dubois is going to kill Usyk because *let me check my notes* oh yeah, Usyk somehow got old all of a sudden and Dubois is the reincarnation of George Foreman. Whoops. So Frank took a serial quitter who can't function if his daddy isn't there at ringside to hold his hand and got him not one, but three title fights and got him an emailed belt while convincing everyone he was the next big thing in the HW division.

Maybe Itauma goes on to be the best HW we've seen in the last 100 years. He certainly ain't that now. He hasn't been tested one iota so far in his career. Zero questions have been asked of this guy. Whyte put in a worse performance than the absolute jobbers Moses has been facing. So maybe folks need to pump the breaks just a little.

 

Moses might have stamina like David Price for all we know.

You'd expect Franklin to get past 5 rounds at least.

 

There was plenty of hype around Anderson too, though unlike with Moses, I could never see why.

 

Considering Whyte was lucky to get a decision against Franklin a few years back (a clear indication that he was already shot back then), this is a decent fight. I quite like Franklin, and am just disappointed that he hasn't fought more really tried to make a name for himself by fighting people around his level. Seems he's content barely staying busy beating bums before the bigger paydays come calling.

 

I actually disagree, I would argue Franklin is far more (at this stage) of a live dog than Whyte (regardless of if Whyte was ranked higher or not). Arguably beat Whyte 3 years ago and Joshua couldn't dispatch him, this is the kinda good chin/little bit of danger guy that he should be in there with it. This fight would prove immensely more about Itauma than the Whyte fight. I see him going the distance against Franklin, and if he stopped him that would actually be a statement

 

Franklin would be fine. He lets his hands go and has a bit of dog in him. Has been in with 2 guys who, if nothing else can punch and went 12 with both. Gave Whyte plenty of problems. Ituma needs rounds and he needs fire coming back his way.
Saw someone mention Andy Ruiz, and while he's wasted his best year,s that's a similar type of fight and exactly what Ituma needs.

 

Apparently for round experience from someone’s comment above

 

If Whyte hadn't been completely shot, that would've been a decent step up... Hindsight, he absolutely was and it absolutely wasn't.

My issue with this is for my money he's just not being advanced enough - if Franklin lasts 2 rounds it's an improvement on the Whyte fight, but it doesn't necessarily tell us much besides the matchmaking is still very conservative, for my money.

 

Hrgovic could be out for the rest of the year given how bad that cut was so, if Itauma can get Franklin done before end of this year, then Hrgovic and Itauma will be ready early 2026

 

THESE FRAUD BUM ASS AMERICANS NEED TO STOP GETTING FREE PAYDAYS

 

Err, cuz his eyelid was hanging off Saturday night and needs to heal

 

Franklin went 50/50 with Whyte and survived 12 with AJ what is wrong with this for a 20yo kid? Beating shot Whyte doesn't give you top 10. Maybe 15 at this point. Why rush, he's not beating Usyk Parker or AJ by now.

 

Would be a good bout.

 

Well in Itamua's defense , he treated Whyte like an aging shot fighter and blew him away. If he had boxed for 5 or 6 rounds before clipping him the criticism of his effort would be way higher.