Moses Itauma confirmed his tremendous potential on Saturday night, as the young heavyweight stopped Dillian Whyte in just two minutes.
The all-British clash in Saudi Arabia was billed as Itauma’s sternest test yet, but the 20-year-old made short work of Whyte, 37, dropping and stopping the former world-title challenger in the very first round.
From the first bell, Itauma’s highly-touted speed was on display, not just in his strikes but in his footwork, as he effortlessly evaded the majority of Whyte’s jabs. Then came a cross to the body of veteran, which set up a grazing left hook the head – then another, and a right hook as Whyte stooped.
That led a concerned and hurt Whyte to retreat to the corner, where Itauma poured on more punches. Whyte tried to escape along the ropes but was soon put down by a right hand, which had the “Bodysnatcher” falling face-first to the canvas.
Whyte, to his credit, beat the referee’s count. However, just like in his failed world-title challenge against Tyson Fury in 2023, Whyte then stumbled, leading the referee to wave off the bout. Whyte complained, yet the stoppage felt fair, with the older fighter clearly dazed.
Itauma then said he would “100 per cent” fight again this year, as he aims to extend his 13-0 (11 KOs) professional record, with many in attendance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, shouting for a match-up against Oleksandr Usyk. Thirty-eight-year-old Usyk, the undisputed heavyweight champion, will likely face another challenger, but fans now eagerly await Itauma’s next showing, with an in-form, elite opponent likely to be next for him.
Re-live the action below:
Dillian Whyte vs Moses Itauma live
- Unbeaten Moses Itauma, 20, knocks out veteran Dillian Whyte in very first round
- Featherweight champ Nick Ball retains WBA belt in closely-fought bout with Sam Goodman
- Filip Hrgovic survives nasty cut to drop and outpoint David Adeleye in heavyweight appetiser
- Hayato Tsutsumi knocks down Qais Ashfaq three times en route to early win
Fight report: Itauma destroys Whyte in first round for statement win
00:00 , Alex Pattle
Young star Moses Itauma destroys Dillian Whyte in first round for statement win
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
23:45 , Alex Pattle"I executed the game plan" 🥊✅
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) August 16, 2025
Moses Itauma reflects on his stunning victory over Dillian Whyte.
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Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
23:30 , Alex Pattle
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
23:15 , Alex Pattle
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
23:05 , Alex Pattle
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
22:51 , Alex Pattle
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
22:44 , Alex PattleItauma says “100 per cent” he’ll fight again by the end of the year.
He’s pressed on who he wants to face next, and keeps referring to the crowd’s chants of “Usyk”.
In an interview with The Independent this week, though, he did say he’s in no rush. He said he’d lose nothing even in defeat against Usyk, though.
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
22:42 , Alex PattleItauma is asked who he wants next, and some in the crowd chant “Usyk”.
“If I’m being completely honest,” he says, “Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel do deserve the opportunity, but I’d love the chance as well. Chuck me in there with them lot.”
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
22:41 , Alex PattleThe official time of the stoppage is 1:59 of the very first round.
Itauma, 20 years old, remains unbeaten at 13-0 with 11 KOs.
Blistering speed on display tonight, as usual from him, and clearly power, too.
Itauma thanks the Saudi crowd in the venue and the British crowd watching at home.
Then: “The final person I’d like to say thanks to is ‘The Bodysnatcher’, Dillian Whyte.”
Whyte vs Itauma live: Young star scores first-round KO
22:37 , Alex PattleWhyte complained at once, and I can see why – to a degree – as he was semi-cognisant.
But semi-cognisant will not end well against Itauma.
Whyte vs Itauma live: Round one
22:35 , Alex PattleWhyte presses forward early, jabbing at the southpaw Itauma, who fires back with a cross to the body.
Whyte is doing a decent job at blocking Itauma’s crosses so far, but a hook gets through.
Itauma is keeping out of range when Whyte jabs, for the most part, sliding back quickly.
Now a cross to the body of Whyte, and a grazing left hook to the head, and Whyte retreats into the corner!!
He’s concerned, but is he hurt?
Itauma pours on shots, and Whyte is on unsteady legs! NOW he goes down! He stumbles onto his front!
And as he half-slumps into the corner after trying to stand up, the ref waves it off!
It’s all over in round one, as The Independent predicted.
Whyte vs Itauma live: First bell
22:31 , Alex PattleAnd here, we, go!!! Don’t blink...
Whyte vs Itauma live: There's the howl!
22:25 , Alex PattleThe Jaws theme gives way to a signature wolf howl, heralding Whyte’s arrival, then AC/DC’s “Back In Black”.
Here comes Whyte at last!
Whyte vs Itauma live: Veteran playing mind games?
22:23 , Alex PattleItauma has had to wait in the ring for more than two minutes, his music still playing.
Is Whyte trying to get in his head?
We can see the veteran in his dressing room, ready to walk, but he’s not walking yet.
Whyte vs Itauma live: Ring walks under way!
22:20 , Alex PattleMichael Buffer introduces Moses Itauma, and Dillian Whyte will follow!
The main event is just minutes away. Don’t go anywhere.
Ruthless Itauma: ‘A lot of people are too enslaved to their emotions’
22:11 , Alex PattleAnd here’s our interview with Moses Itauma:
Ruthless Itauma on Whyte fight: ‘A lot of people are too enslaved to their emotions’
Whyte on Itauma risk: ‘Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die
22:07 , Alex PattleHere’s our interview with Dillian Whyte ahead of tonight’s headline bout:
Whyte on fighting Itauma: ‘Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die’
Whyte vs Itauma live: Ring walks imminent
22:01 , Alex PattleThe main-event ring walks are just minutes away at this point.
It’s the young prospect against the veteran, Briton vs Briton.
We’re very excited for this one. How do you see it going?
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:55 , Alex PattleNick Ball def. Sam Goodman via unanimous decision (117-111, 118-110, 115-113)
Those first two scorecards feel far too wide. Either man would have been a deserved winner, no problem at all with Ball getting the nod, but the judging feels poor there.
Admittedly, many rounds were close, but for Ball to get the nod in so many of them... that’s very unlucky for Goodman.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:51 , Alex PattleRound 12
A fun final round, more back-and-forth stuff.
Goodman is still using his jab very well, not forgetting his fundamentals even in the depths of a gruelling contest.
Ball, as ever, is digging deep. Goodman with a right hook to the body and a left upstairs – brilliant! But Ball bites down on his gum shield and produces a similar attack!
Plenty of applause as the final bell sounds, and rightly so.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:47 , Alex PattleRound 11
Impressive timing from Goodman on some counters, before Ball gets through with pure tenacity, chasing after the challenger.
Also, Goodman’s shots have often been grazing, while Ball tends to land with a bit more authority.
To prove that point, Ball throws a combination with some nice variety, punctuating it with a spearing right cross.
One round to go!
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:43 , Alex PattleRound 10
A deep breath from Ball, before Goodman curls a left hook to his body.
Goodman aims to build on that, but Ball is countering nicely, particularly with the left hook.
Prolonged combinations from Ball; this is what we were talking about: you knew he wouldn’t let these final rounds slip without a fight.
He catches Goodman on the end of a cross.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:39 , Alex PattleRound nine
Goodman hops in, jabs to the body, then hops out. He’s done that well all night.
Strong rear uppercut from Ball, then a left hook in the next exchange.
This has been a fascinating, close contest. The rounds are tough to score.
It could come down to these final few frames. You’d back Ball to finish with grit, but Goodman is well in this...
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:27 , Alex PattleRound six
That left uppercut and right cross work again for Ball, late in round six. It’s been a back-and-forth round, though, with Ball landing more heavily but Goodman doing the slicker boxing.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:23 , Alex PattleRound five
Some purposely awkward timing from Ball, and he gets through with a long right cross! That opens the floodgates briefly, with the Scouser tagging Goodman with a few clean follow-ups.
Now a left uppercut and right cross from Ball, good stuff.
Goodman looks to arrest momentum, but Ball blocks most of the barrage and fires back.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:15 , Alex PattleRound three
Ball steps off to his left and lands a clever lead uppercut. Great work.
Nice counter cross from Goodman, though, who follows that headshot with a left to the body.
Ball fires back, and out comes Goodman’s mouthguard... He boxes for a while before it’s put back in.
Hard overhand from Ball! Goodman comes back with stern jabs, then a cross to split the guard.
A long lead left hook to the body by Goodman, and Ball freezes for a moment, opening him up to further punishment.
He stalks Goodman in a bid to end the round on top, but that frame is likely the challenger’s.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:10 , Alex PattleRound two
Goodman, who missed out on a shot at super-bantamweight king Naoya Inoue due to a cut in sparring, is showing decent pop in his shots here – despite moving up two weight classes.
Ball is sporting some reddening around his nose already.
But there’s some marking around Goodman’s right eye, too, with Ball doing a decent job at stepping inside the Aussie’s range.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
21:06 , Alex PattleRound one
All action in the first round. You’d expect nothing less from the short, aggressive Ball, and Goodman is testing the champ with lots of fizzing jabs in the early stages.
Oh! Brutal, step-in right hook from Ball. Now he slings a right cross at the body.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Nick Ball vs Sam Goodman
20:45 , Alex PattleOne more fight before the main event!
Nick Ball defends the WBA featherweight title against Australia’s Sam Goodman.
After Daniel Dubois lost the IBF heavyweight belt in July, Ball is Britain’s only reigning male world champ.
The Liverpudlian’s pro record stands at 22-0-1 (13 KOs), while Goodman is 20-0 (8 KOs).
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Hayato Tsutsumi vs Qais Ashfaq
20:38 , Alex PattleRound three
Two more knockdowns! Tsutsumi’s volume, accuracy, and the sting of his shots are too much for Ashfaq!
Several heavy, heavy hooks in succession from Tsutsumi, and Ashfaq is on wobbly legs...
And the ref steps in! It’s all over!
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Hayato Tsutsumi vs Qais Ashfaq
20:35 , Alex PattleRound two
Tsutsumi is still stalking Ashfaq. Decent counter uppercut to the body by Ashfaq, but Tsutsumi lands a hook to the body with heft.
Ashfaq covers up, but his guard can’t keep out a flurry by Tsutsumi.
Another blitz by Tsutsumi, and down goes Ashfaq after a right hand up top and a left to the body!
He beats the ref’s count and complains of a slip. The bell sounds right after the ref waves the fight back on.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Hayato Tsutsumi vs Qais Ashfaq
20:30 , Alex PattleRound one
Some really slick counter shots from southpaw Ashfaq in the early going, as Tsutsumi presses forward in an aggressive start.
Good body work mixed in by Tsutsumi, however, and Ashfaq will tire if he has to keep boxing on the back foot.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
20:12 , Alex PattleFilip Hrgovic def. David Adeleye via unanimous decision (98-91, 99-90, 99-90)
As expected. Lopsided, yet that doesn’t quite do justice to Adeleye, who hurt Hrgovic a couple of times.
Such volume and resilience from Hrgovic, though, who was cut early and eating shots at times – only to battle through and outwork Adeleye.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
20:06 , Alex PattleRound 10
Adeleye is hurt in the final 10 seconds, as he tries to find a knockout shot, but he makes it to the bell!
Hrgovic will surely take this, but Adeleye will have gained many fans tonight.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
20:02 , Alex PattleRound nine
A less dramatic round, with both boxers having tired somewhat, but it’s Hrgovic who’s doing the tidier work.
One more round to go. Adeleye needs something big. Don’t count him out.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
19:58 , Alex PattleRound eight
Heavy right hand from Hrgovic has Adeleye on wobbly legs! Defiantly, Adeleye sticks his tongue out at Hrgovic and grunts, but a few punches later, he’s down!!
Adeleye beats the ref’s count, and he’s even throwing back! Big left hook, and Hrgovic looks perturbed now!
What are we seeing?? It still feels that Adeleye could go down again at any moment, though...
But again Adeleye has Hrgovic in trouble. He’s landed about 10 brutal hooks in a row, and somehow Hrgovic hasn’t gone down!!
This is bizarre and brilliant. One of the rounds of the year.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
19:45 , Alex PattleRounds five and six
Adeleye is spending too much of his time with his back to the ropes. Hrgovic, now under Gennady Golovkin’s old coach Abel Sanchez, is working the body and head well.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
19:38 , Alex PattleRound three
Indeed, the referee checks Hrgovic’s eye before the start of this round. He’s cleared to continue.
Barry Jones, on commentary for DAZN, believes there might be too much vaseline around the eye, though, and that it might limit the Croat’s vision.
Let’s see how that plays out. For now, Hrgovic is showing resolve and boxing well, staying on the front foot.
Oh!! But just as Hrgovic dials it up again, Adeleye cracks him with a forceful left hook, which freezes Hrgovic and has him open for a spearing right cross!
Great end to the round for Adeleye.
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
19:34 , Alex PattleRound two
Clean shots on target for Adeleye early in round three! A one-two splits Hrgovic’s guard, after a left hook lands.
More punishing output from Adeleye, who’s timing his jabs very well, and Hrgovic’s right eye is cut!!
That’s been a big issue for him before – like against Daniel Dubois last year...
Hrgovic is turning up the pressure himself, though! Lots of volume. Maybe he fears the fight could be stopped between rounds in the next 10 or so minutes, and is trying to get this done quickly...
Whyte vs Itauma undercard live: Filip Hrgovic vs David Adeleye
19:29 , Alex PattleRound one
Hrgovic, 33, and Adeleye, 28, both stand orthodox. Ten rounds scheduled here.
Hrgovic presses forward early, but there are flashes of nice counter boxing from Adeleye. In one moment, backed against the ropes, Adeleye hurls a heavy left hook to the ribs.
But that’s only after a teasing combination from Hrgovic, who is trying to tire the Briton already.
Some firm right hands get through for Hrgovic late in the round.
Whyte vs Itauma live
19:19 , Alex PattleMoses Itauma and Dillian Whyte will square off in an intriguing heavyweight clash tonight, as young Itauma faces his sternest test yet.
Itauma, still just 20 years old, has been touted as a world champion in waiting, with an unbeaten record of 12-0 featuring 10 brutal knockout wins.
While the Briton missed the window to break Mike Tyson’s record as boxing’s youngest-ever world heavyweight champion, he could enter the division’s top tier with a statement win against compatriot Whyte.
But Whyte, 37, is a seasoned professional, who has fought a who’s who of heavyweights. Having taken on the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, Derek Chisora and Alexander Povetkin, Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs) is unlikely to be fazed by Itauma, despite the hype around the younger man.
Follow live updates and results from Whyte vs Itauma and the undercard, right here.
