Eddie Hearn says Dillian Whyte has a puncher’s probability against heavy favorite Moses Itauma next Saturday, August sixteenth, of their headliner on DAZN PPV in Riyadh.
Hearn on Itauma’s Untested Chin
Hearn states that the 20-year-old Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) still has “query marks” because he’s never been “tested.” He can say that again. Itauma has never been matched against a live opponent, either in the professionals or within the amateurs. He’s fought nobody during his entire life.
So, Whyte, as faded as he’s, is an enormous step up at school from the opposition that Itauma has been fighting.
“I do think Moses is an enormous favorite within the fight, but let’s understand. Dillian is a serious fighter. He’s a tricky man and he can punch,” said Eddie Hearn to The Stomping Ground, analyzing the Moses Itauma vs. Dillian Whyte fight for this Saturday.
After all, Itauma is the favourite. Whyte is old, inactive, and has been on the downside of his profession for the last 4 years. We saw how he was knocked out by the slapper Tyson Fury in 2022.
Dillian’s chin has been gone since he was knocked clean out by Alexander Povetkin in 2020. That was the top for Dillian. He can still punch, but his ability to take a very good shot is gone entirely. So, the one probability Whyte has on this fight is to attach with considered one of his big left hooks on Itauma early in the competition on August sixteenth.
“The query mark for Moses, and purely because we haven’t seen them tested, are Moses’ chin and Moses’ will,” Hearn said. “The one way Dillian can win the fight is to check those things, but he’s a very good fighter.”
Itauma’s Unproven Skilled Record
For a fighter to have been matched as weakly as Itauma has been on the amateur and skilled levels, it suggests that he’s been brought along strictly for financial purposes. You can’t protect a fighter the best way he’s been if there isn’t some defect being hidden. One suspects it’s the chin. It’s all the time the chin. I’ve seen it 1,000,000 times with different fighters. He will need to have got touched up sooner or later, and now he’s being protected like he’s a beneficial Ming vase. If Itauma were the actual thing, he must be fighting young contenders like Lenier Pero, Richard Torrez Jr., and Dainier Pero.
If the concept was to develop Itauma, he would have stayed within the amateurs and fought on the world level. He didn’t try this. Itauma fought lesser amateurs and didn’t face the talented fighters from the U.S, Cuba, Russia, Kazakhstan, or Ukraine.
“I feel it’s a nasty style match-up for Dillian, but when he can take Moses into deep waters within the late rounds, I feel he’s got a probability within the fight,” said Hearn about Whyte. “He’s going to be a dangerous opponent for anybody. I feel it’s a fantastic heavyweight matchup.”
Itauma won’t make it easy for Whyte to land, but he’s open for right hands. Although Moses is tall at 6’4″, he doesn’t extend his arms far out in front of him. It’s as if he lacks the pliability to straighten out his arms entirely. When he goes to attack, his head is wide open for right hands. Itauma depends an excessive amount of on his hand speed and power to win. That’ll be his downfall if Whyte can connect.
Itauma’s Readiness for Usyk
“Potentially one or two fights, however it depends upon how you desire to bring him through,” said Hearn when asked how close Itauma is to difficult undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. “He’s a incredible young prospect. He’s only young, and he’s only going to recuperate. But when you desire to roll the dice, and you think he’s ok to beat those guys now, why not?”
It will be a silly thing for Queensberry to place Itauma in with a talented fighter like Usyk. Moses has no experience on the amateur or skilled level to offer him a probability of defeating Usyk.
Furthermore, Itauma’s potshot form of fighting wouldn’t work against the sort of fighter. You’ve got to have the option to throw combos, and Itauma has never shown that he can try this. All the things with him is one punch and get out. He fights like he’s hiding glass in his chin.
Last Updated on 08/10/2025