Charles Martin Targets Moses Itauma, Sees KO Opportunity

Charles Martin wants to fight the unbeaten heavyweight contender Moses Itauma, and he feels he can knock out the highly hyped 20-year-old. Beating the #5 WBO-ranked Itauma would put Martin in a position to get a crack at another belt, and he’s got the power to do the job on the short 6’2″, flat-footed contender.

It’s questionable whether Itauma’s promoter, Frank Warren, would let the 6’5″ southpaw Charles Martin fight the youngster because he can still punch, has size, and is lethal with his left hand.

Martin still has enough left to expose Itauma as a manufactured hype job, which some boxing fans view him as. He’s not been created entirely like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury yet, but he seems to be following their blueprint with how he’s being matched.

Itauma (11-0, 9 KOs) is receiving much attention in the UK from British fans, who believe he’s the next star. Again, he’s being moved similarly to UK heavyweights Joshua and Fury were early in their careers.

Those guys were never as good as people thought, and we’re only seeing that now with them fighting quality for the first time late in their careers. Itauma isn’t as good as fans think. Martin would expose that reality, which is why he’ll likely be kept far away from Moses.

The former IBF champion Martin (30-4-1, 27 KOs) wants another world title shot after losing his belt to Anthony Joshua nine years ago in 2016.

Can Martin Unmask Itauma?

“I will do anything to get another title shot. I fought Jared Anderson on one week’s notice and had him hurt multiple times,” Charles Martin told Sky Sports. “I will knock Moses out with a proper camp.

“He [Itauma] has been stopping everyone quick, but it is real different when another puncher is coming back at you. Let’s see if he can take it as good as he gives it. I can KO anyone in the world, including a 20-year-old.”

It’s unlikely that Charles Martin will get a chance to fight Itauma because there’s too high of a risk of him knocking him out. We already saw Moses’s brother, Karol Itauma, get knocked out in the fifth round by Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna in 2023.

Karol had been receiving all kinds of attention up to that point from fans, who saw him as the next light heavyweight. But as soon as he was matched against an opponent with decent ability, he was blown out of the water.