Kent Heavyweight Moses Itauma Set to Compete on Usyk-Fury Rematch Undercard

A heavyweight boxer, aged 19, hailing from Kent, is getting ready to compete as part of the undercard for the upcoming rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. Moses Itauma, who is from Chatham, holds an undefeated record in his professional career, having secured victories in all ten of his fights, with his last six opponents being stopped inside two rounds. Prior to the bout scheduled for Saturday in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Itauma stated: “I need to be in a fight where people think I’m not going to win or it’s too early, so I can come and prove them wrong.” He further added, “My whole career has been people saying, ‘he’s going to go in there, he’s going to knock them out’, and what excitement do I get out of that?” Dennis McCann, who spent his formative years in Maidstone, was also slated to appear on the same fight card; however, his participation was withdrawn following an adverse finding in his pre-fight test administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Nevertheless, Mr. Itauma, a native of Slovakia, remarked that Kent is experiencing a “boom” in boxing talent competing at the highest echelons, citing examples such as Sam Noakes of Maidstone, who currently holds the British, Commonwealth, and European lightweight championships. Additionally, Mr. Itauma drew attention to Archie Sharp, a super-featherweight fighter ranked 6th globally by the WBO, who resides “a few doors down” from him, as well as Johnny Armour, a former world champion who operates a boxing gym in Chatham. “It’s crazy, I don’t know what it is in the Kent water,” Mr. Itauma commented. The 19-year-old boxer is scheduled to face Australian Demsey McKean on 21 December. Mr. Itauma further stated: “The thing is, even after all the fights Demsey McKeen has had, I feel like I am still the A-side.” Usyk and Fury are set to meet in the ring once more on 21 December, following their initial encounter six months prior in Riyadh, where Usyk secured a victory over Fury by split decision. Live text commentary for the fight night will commence at 20:00 GMT, accessible via the BBC Sport website and its application. For updates, follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or by WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available for review.