Moses Itauma’s rapid rise toward world title shots has many fans questioning whether he’s being overhyped as a result of the praise he’s received following victories over low-level opposition. Itauma headlines next month against the faded veteran Dillian Whyte on August sixteenth on DAZN PPV. It’s an interesting fight to be a headliner on a $49.99 card.
Mental Toughness Doubts Surface
People feel that the 20-year-old Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) is being maneuvered around Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel to get a title shot. He’s being pushed to the highest without fighting the blokes that he should need to fight to prove himself. He’s like Hamzah Sheeraz of the heavyweight division. Cutting corners to get an underrved title shot.
Fans note that Itauma looked uncomfortable with the pressure that was briefly placed on him by his last opponent, 41-year-old Mike Balogun. Itauma didn’t react well when he took some big shots from Balogun, who was just a few random guy that was picked out for him to fight. That wasn’t the primary time that Itauma showed mental weakness.
Itauma’s Amateur Nerves Recalled
In his amateur fight against Stelios Roulias of Greece, he looked nervous from the nonstop pressure that was placed on him. Itauma resorted to running across the ring, unwilling to face and fight, and throwing only potshots before taking off again. The pressure appeared to unnerved Itauma, who looked like his brother, Karol Itauma, who fell apart recently when he fought a pressure fighter that exposed him.
What this implies to fans is that Moses Itauma struggles to take care of pressure from fighters well and shows mental weakness. That could possibly be the essential reason why his promoter hasn’t matched him against any of those fighters:
- Agit Kabayel
- Richard Torrez Jr.
- Joseph Parker
- Martin Bakole: *when he’s in shape
- Bakhodir Jalalov
- Lenier Pero
The way in which that Itauma is being matched has the hallmark sign of a fighter that’s being protected to cover his flaws until he gets that big money fight and is promptly blown out.
Last Updated on 07/28/2025