Itauma: the next big thing ???

This.

 

Yeah I saw that, I thought it must have been some sort of breathing technique because surely he isn't huffing and puffing after that.

 

That's what I always found weird about this kid. According to him and his handlers, he's been boxing since he was like 6 or 9 years old or something. They can't ever shut up about how he's been sparring elite British HWs since he was a schoolboy. How he'd show up to the gym in his school uniform and then give the likes of Okolie and Dubois hell or whatnot. So why basically no amateur career?

It just seems like instead of bringing this kid up the right way he's been groomed as a Mike Tyson clone. Just, ya know, without the psychotic dedication to hurting people stemming from a severely screwed up childhood, being trained by an all-time legendary coach, and fighting multiple times a month for years before getting his title shot. There was no reason for this kid to turn pro so early other than some goofy idea about beating Mike's record as the youngest HW champ. And that was stupid anyway because as long as Usyk is around you're never going to be champ.

So this guy could still be fighting in the amateurs where you start putting him in against real guys. Let him beat the best amateurs from around the world and claim himself a European/World title. Then when you turn him pro he's still just 21 or 22 but he's actually learned a thing or two and maybe had someone at least throw punches back at him. Now he's in the pros and they're still not matching him with anyone that will throw punches back at him. But they're happy to clout chase and suggest that this kid could wipe the floor with everyone at HW, including Usyk. They're so confident in him that his next victim is rumored to be another guy in the nursing home in Pulev.

 

He is going to get plenty of big fights and opportunities because hes being groomed to be the next UK stadium filler.

But beyond that, he really is a legitimate talent with good power, skill/maturity beyond his years and exceptional speed.

 

Itauma won golds at the Europeans and world juniors as an amateur, and he won every fight by stoppage in the Euros. That's about as good as you can get as an amateur outside of the seniors. I presume his management saw him sparring with fully fledged professionals and realised that he was ready to go pro; and up to now, he has showcased why. He got $1.5 million for the Whyte fight, so I imagine he didn't want to hang around the amateurs when he knew he could make that sort of money by the age of 20 in the paid ranks.