Has the UK ever, during its long history of producing great fighters, boasted a pound-for-pound king? It’s a good question, you may agree. Over the years, indeed the decades, the UK has given the world some superb fighters, but a P-4-P king? Maybe, if you go back to the early 1920s, Jimmy Wilde was deserving of the as yet introduced distinction. More recently, perhaps, for a short time, Randolph Turpin? Or, even more recently, Lennox Lewis? Or Tyson Fury? Or can you list another British fighter? Joe Calzaghe, maybe? Ken Buchanan? Ricky Hatton?
Trainer Ben Davison, when speaking with Talk Sport, brought the subject up, and Davison said that even if his country has not yet produced a man, or woman, who reigned as pound-for-pound king, this will change before too long. Why? Because, in Davison’s opinion, Moses Itauma – the 20 year old heavyweight all of boxing is talking about – will rise to the very, very top of the sport in due course.
Ben Davison Tips Itauma as UK’s First True P4P King
Itauma, who is a mere 13-0(11) as a pro, has nevertheless got plenty of experts feeling very strongly he is not only a future world champion but a future superstar. And, in the opinion of Davison, Itauma will go on to become the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet.
“I don’t think this country has ever produced a pound-for-pound best boxer in the world. I think we have an opportunity to do that,” Davison said. “I don’t think a heavyweight [has ever been the pound-for-pound best], barring now a bit of talk with [Oleksandr] Usyk. For a heavyweight – a British heavyweight – to have the potential to be the pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, that’s what we have got with Moses Itauma.”
Early Promise and Big Expectations
Again, it’s still very early days as far as Itauma and what he will go on to achieve goes, but in terms of a combination of sheer talent and sheer promise, who else at such a young age tops the British southpaw today? If big things were expected of Itauma, it’s perhaps fair to say now that huge things are expected of him.
With plenty of time on his side to go along with his natural talent and promise, Itauma could indeed go on to rule the world – at heavyweight and in the mythical, we-so-love-to-debate-them P-4-P charts.
Next up for Itauma will be a December fight, this said to be against a top 10 ranked opponent. Next year and beyond will prove fascinating, exciting, and challenging as far as Itauma’s career is concerned.