Froch points to speed and combination punching as WBO mandatory picture forms around Itauma
Carl Froch has backed Moses Itauma to beat both Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois as the WBO heavyweight title picture tightens ahead of their May 9 fight. Itauma is expected to be named mandatory challenger, putting him in line for the winner.
Wardley defends his WBO belt against Dubois on May 9 in Manchester, a fight that will determine who holds the position Itauma is expected to target next.
Wardley was upgraded to full champion after stopping Joseph Parker in the 11th round last October. Dubois has not fought since his July loss to Oleksandr Usyk, when he was stopped in five rounds and lost his IBF title.
Itauma, 21, is expected to be named the WBO mandatory challenger, which would put him in line to face the winner. His most recent fight came in March, when he stopped Jermaine Franklin in five rounds, dropping and finishing a durable opponent who had previously gone the distance at a higher level.
The timeline could slow that path slightly. Itauma is scheduled to return on July 25, making an immediate title fight unlikely even if the mandatory position is confirmed in the coming weeks. That would push any title shot further into the second half of the year.
A potential fight with Wardley could also be complicated by shared training ties, which would need to be resolved before any agreement is reached.
“I think Moses beats both of them. Obviously, Daniel Dubois has got that punch that could catch him, as has Fabio Wardley, but I just don’t think they’re good enough to beat him,” said Froch on his YouTube channel.
“When you look at Itauma and his speed, his footwork, his combination punching, the power, he’s just very, very good.”
Froch pointed to Itauma’s speed and combination work as key advantages, suggesting the current champions would struggle to deal with his pace and variety over the course of a fight.
If Itauma cannot dent Wardley early, the fight changes. The longer it goes, the more it asks of a young heavyweight who has not yet had to deal with sustained pressure from a bigger man who keeps coming.