Key Takeaways: Moses Itauma Defeats Jermaine Franklin
Moses Itauma silenced any remaining skeptics by becoming the first man to stop the durable Jermaine Franklin. In a clinical display of speed and power, the 21-year-old prospect proved his world-title ambitions are ahead of schedule.
- First Man to Stop Franklin: Franklin had never been dropped in 26 fights, going 12 rounds with Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. Itauma dropped him in the third and finished Franklin off in the fifth round.
- Uppercut from Hell: After Franklin adjusted following the knockdown, Itauma shifted gears with feints and footwork. The finish was a tactical masterpiece.
- Who’s Next?: Queensberry’s Frank Warren promised a world-class opponent, but it won’t be Fabio Wardley.
The seismic activity on Saturday in the boxing world was the result of the heavyweight earthquake felt when Jermain Franklin hit the deck face down in the fifth round, sprawled out after the uppercut knockout punch landed by Moses Itauma.
With that, 21-year-old Itauma of Chatham, Kent (14-0, 12 KOs) leveled more if not all the doubts from skeptics about his path to a world championship with the victory over the durable American Franklin of Saginaw, Michigan (24-3, 15 KOs) in the main event of the Queensberry Promotions Magnificent Seven card on Saturday in front of an elated audience at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
“I’ve enjoyed my stay in Manchester. This is actually where I won my first-ever national title,” said Itauma. “Seven years later, I’m picking up a win against Jermaine Franklin.
“I’ve done something that other British heavyweights who have gone on to achieve great things didn’t do. I’ve got to give thanks to the Most High, and I’ve got to thank Jermaine Franklin as well for giving me this opportunity, because it takes two to tango, so I appreciate it, man.”
After Itauma smoked veteran Dillian Whyte in two rounds in August, doubters pointed out that Whyte was well past his best. They wanted to see what Itauma could achieve against Franklin, a younger and more durable opponent who had never been knocked down or stopped in 26 fights and who went the distance against both Whyte and Anthony Joshua.
Itauma became the first opponent to score a knockdown on Franklin with a looping right hand shot to the temple near the end of round three. Franklin got to his feet, and with just seconds left, Itauma didn’t force the issue. He had plenty of time to work with.
It only took him five more minutes of work. Franklin adjusted fairly well after the knockdown, having a decent fourth round, though still losing on the cards. Franklin realized he could not overcome the blistering handspeed of Itauma, risking a damaging countershot if he didn’t choose his shots wisely.
But it didn’t matter. Itauma set up his opportunity in the fifth round with footwork and creative feints nearly as world-class as his speed and power. The knockout blow was set up with hard hooks from both sides, seasoned with body punches.
Itauma then unleashed a solid right hook, momentarily causing Frankin to pause, allowing Itauma to step in with the uppercut from hell.
“I tried to knock him out in the first or second round, trying to win some few people some dough. But I just thought, like, aaaaack, maybe not today,” said a smiling Itauma.
“So I went back to the basics. Go down to the body, down to the body, and then the knockout just came. So, it’s not the shots that you load up with, but it’s the shot that you don’t see.”
Itauma’s stablemate Fabio Wardley was ringside. He stood up and applauded. The look on his face said it all. Franklin lay on the canvas for a long 20 seconds before getting up unaided and making his way out of the ring.
Franklin’s corner came at referee Steve Gray for what they felt was a premature stoppage. Perhaps it was the shockwave from the Itauma earthquake that damaged their thinking. Franklin would not have beaten the count, even a slow one.
Who Will Moses Itauma Face Next?
Queensberry Promoter Frank Warren and his son Frank are no longer tempering their enthusiasm for Itauma. Both had called Franklin the toughest test so far for Itauma. He aced it.
Frank Warren promised Itauma would return in July against a solid opponent. “Don’t worry, it’ll be a big, big fight, because he’s a big, big fighter. You know, so exciting for a very, very tough guy, very tough guy, broke him down and did what nobody else has been able to do. You stop him.”
Warren pointed out that unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will face a mandatory challenger after his matchup with kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. “In June, after that fight, he’ll be ordered to fight to defend his WBC title, which is against Agit Kabayel. And if he doesn’t do that, he’ll get stripped. And then the next organization will order him to defend his belt.
“He’s got to defend his mandatories. That’s what they’re all there for to be done. So I’m pretty confident we’ll fight for the world this year. Very confident,” said Warren.
Itauma isn’t especially demonstrative. The smile and the satisfaction of this victory conveyed just how happy Itauma felt about the nature of the victory and what it told him and millions of boxing fans about his future. If it erased any fan doubts, it certainly did the same for Itauma.
“When I first turned professional, I didn’t think … I mean, I thought I was able to win titles, but I didn’t think that it’s going to be so soon. So, I’m just a young boy chasing the dream,” said a grinning Itauma.
Itauma said the name on his mind was Filip Hrgovic, who has a fight lined up against British fan favorite Dave Allen. “So, we’ll go back to the drawing board.”
Fabio Wardley Says Not Yet
It was no secret why Fabio Wardley was sitting ringside and offering color commentary on the DAZN broadcast, along with Daniel Dubois. Wardley is set to make the first defense of the one belt not held by Usyk, the WBO World Heavyweight title, against Dubois on May 9 at the same venue, Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena.
But Wardley made it clear he and his stablemate would not be fighting anytime soon. “Right now, we’re in different places. He’s looking where I am currently. I’m looking at Oleksandr Usyk. There’s a gap, only due to time and experience.
There are four belts. There’s two of us. The only time this becomes a serios conversation is – he has two belts, I have two belts,” said Dubois. Suggesting a possible Klitschko brother situation, Wardley added, “Don’t get me wrong, I always want to be undisputed. The title of undisputed is something Moses will want to claim. That’s the only time there will be a serious question but that’s in the distant future.”
The future might not be as far in the distance as Wardley thinks. Few of his victories have been as definitive or dramatic as those of Itauma.
Meanwhile, while Kabayel deserves to face Usyk, who wouldn’t love a showdown between legitimate contenders Kabayel and Itauma for the vacant WBC title? Hey, a woman can dream.
To the American fan base, this is your assignment: get to know Moses Itauma stat, because he’s the future face of boxing.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.