Moses Itauma produced a stunning performance to brutally knock Dillian Whyte out at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Itauma, 20, is billed as the next big thing in British boxing, and is ranked No1 in the WBO heavyweight rankings, and it showed in just two minutes in the Middle East.
Whyte was supposed to be Itauma’s toughest test, and his laid-back aura had many thinking that perhaps this would be one step too far for the young starlet.
However, that was not the case, as Itauma flew out of his corner at the first bell, meeting his compatriot in the middle of the ring with a quick one-two, while the 37-year-old could only muster a jab.
Whyte’s lead hand was off all night, with Itauma forcing him to miss and land short, while the youngster’s hammer blows kept landing in a first-round battering.
He staggered Whyte, who boasted a 31-3 record in the lead-up to the fight, with a right hand before raining down accurate shots in the corner.
It was a devastating right hand that floored him, and although Whyte tried to get up quickly to beat the count, his legs buckled, forcing the referee to call the fight off, with just one minute and 59 seconds on the clock.
“What’s next, what’s next?” Itauma teased afterwards.
“I’ll fight anyone that they put in front of me. There are a few [in the crowd] saying [Oleksandr] Usyk. Joseph Parker and [Agit] Kabayel do deserve a shot [at the title] but I would love the opportunity as well. Chuck me in with them lot.”
Usyk, who defeated Daniel Dubois to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, could vacate the WBO belt should his request for an extension to fight negotiations with mandatory challenger Parker be turned down.
As such, that could give Itauma a money shot should he be chosen to face the Kiwi.
Elsewhere on a stacked card, Briton Nick Ball successfully defended his WBA featherweight title against the tricky Australian Sam Goodman, who took him the full 12 rounds, while Itauma’s fellow British heavyweight David Adeleye showed fighting spirit, but was ultimately taught a lesson by Filip Hrgovic.
