Moses Itauma’s Age Chase Meets Its First Real Test

Itauma returns on January 24 in Manchester against Jermaine Franklin. The bout is not designed as a headline grabber. Franklin is durable, experienced, and difficult to remove early. He has never been stopped. For Itauma, that makes the fight more useful than dramatic.

Most of Itauma’s professional wins have ended quickly. He has 13 victories, 11 by knockout, and has not gone past six rounds. That profile has gone up, but it has also left open questions about how he handles longer fights, slower tempos, and moments when an opponent refuses to give ground.

Promoter Frank Warren has pointed to Franklin as a necessary step. Franklin went the distance with Anthony Joshua and lost a close decision to Dillian Whyte. He is not considered a threat at the top of the division, but he is reliable enough to expose weaknesses if they exist.

Itauma’s own stoppage of Whyte last summer in Riyadh was his most visible win. It ended in one round and reinforced his reputation as a heavy puncher. If Itauma cannot stop Franklin early, it will likely say more about his readiness than another one-round finish would.

The division itself has shifted since Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBO title. Itauma is ranked number one with both the WBA and WBO. That positioning places him close to a title opportunity if the sanctioning bodies move.

If a title fight takes place later this year, the focus will not stay on Itauma’s age for long. Heavyweight history tends to reduce age records to footnotes once the opponent is examined. The Franklin fight will not answer every question, but it will indicate whether Itauma is being prepared for substance rather than timing.