Moses Itauma Secures First-Round Stoppage Against Demsey McKean

British heavyweight Moses Itauma delivered an impressive first-round stoppage victory against Demsey McKean in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, extending his reputation. McKean’s sole prior loss had been to Filip Hrgovic in a world title eliminator the previous year. The 19-year-old, fighting in the main supporting bout for the Oleksandr Usyk versus Tyson Fury super-fight, required only two minutes to defeat the more seasoned Australian opponent. Itauma, from Chatham, knocked McKean down with a left punch 75 seconds into the match at the Kingdom Arena. McKean managed to get back up before being hit by another powerful southpaw left. McKean’s corner, representing the 34-year-old fighter, signaled an end to the bout by throwing in the towel and entering the ring while the referee was still counting. Earlier on the same evening, Johnny Fisher maintained his undefeated status by securing a contentious split-decision victory against veteran fighter Dave Allen in an engaging all-British heavyweight contest. Fisher, who remains undefeated and has been promoted by Eddie Hearn as a prospective future star, was knocked down by a forceful left hook during the fifth round. He managed to complete the round and retaliated, with both boxers exchanging powerful blows in a true slugfest. However, Allen, along with the majority of the spectators present, believed he should have been declared the winner. In what was anticipated to be his most challenging fight yet, Itauma showcased the reasons he is widely regarded as a prospective world champion. Prior to this bout, McKean’s only defeat had been against Filip Hrgovic in a world title eliminator held last year. Itauma, who will celebrate his 20th birthday in precisely one week, maintains aspirations of becoming the youngest world heavyweight champion ever. To exceed Mike Tyson’s existing record, he needs to secure a world championship title by May 19, 2025. Although numerous factors would need to align for this achievement, his decisive victory served as proof of his capabilities. As Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua approach the conclusion of their careers, Itauma, alongside IBF world champion Daniel Dubois, is positioned as a potential standard-bearer for British heavyweight boxing in the coming years. Former world champion Anthony Crolla commented on BBC Radio 5 Live, stating, “Who in the top 10 would want to give Itauma a shot? There won’t be many, I promise you. He is a special talent.” Fisher, from Essex, maintains his undefeated status, but his standing is likely to have significantly decreased following the highly disputed outcome. The 25-year-old initially found success with body shots in the first round, but Allen subsequently gained confidence, delivering powerful, heavy blows. The fight quickly evolved into a slugfest, with neither participant clearly dominating until Fisher experienced his first professional knockdown. Fisher adopted a defensive strategy and sustained further damage multiple times throughout the fight, yet commendably persisted in exchanging punches. The technical execution from both fighters was minimal, though Allen, hailing from Doncaster, was delivering the more damaging strikes. Allen, aged 32, had vowed to achieve a significant upset. Believing he had won, he collapsed to the canvas in tears before the referee’s scores were revealed following 10 demanding rounds. One judge awarded the fight 96-93 to Allen, while the other two judges scored it 95-94. Fisher, who has a considerable fanbase alongside his father ‘Big’ John Fisher, a viral sensation known for his love of Chinese takeaway, departed the venue to audible boos from the expressive audience. Boxing trainer Shane McGuigan commented on Sky Sports, stating, “I thought it was very easy to score. But, this is boxing, this is a business.” He added, “The close rounds when you’re leaning towards the guy that is selling tickets, sometimes those are the decisions [that make you] sway towards that fighter.”