British heavyweight Moses Itauma continued to live up to the hype with an emphatic first-round stoppage win over Demsey McKean in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Competing in the chief support slot to the super-fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, the 19-year-old needed just two minutes to finish off the more experienced Australian.
Chatham’s Itauma floored McKean with a left 75 seconds into the contest at the Kingdom Arena. McKean rose to his feet before being caught with another colossal southpaw left.
The 34-year-old’s corner threw in the towel and entered the ring while the referee was still administering the count.
Earlier in the night, Johnny Fisher continued his unbeaten record with a controversial split-decision win over seasoned campaigner Dave Allen in an entertaining all-British heavyweight brawl.
The unbeaten Fisher, talked up by promoter Eddie Hearn as a potential future star, was dropped by a crunching left hook in the fifth round.
He saw out the the round and came fighting back as both men traded power punches in a real slugfest, but Allen – and most of those in attendance – felt he should have been awarded the decision.
Heavyweight hope Itauma delivers statement
In what was meant to be his toughest test to date, Itauma demonstrate why he is tipped by many as a future world champion.
McKean had only ever lost to Filip Hrgovic, in an world title eliminator last year.
Itauma, who turns 20 in exactly a week, still has hopes of becoming the youngest world heavyweight champion in history.
He must become world champion by 26 May 2025 to surpass Mike Tyson’s record.
While a lot would need to fall into place for that to happen, he proved his credentials with a statement win.
With Fury and Anthony Joshua nearing the end of their careers, Itauma, alongside IBF world champion Daniel Dubois, may be the one to fly the flag for British heavyweight boxing over the next few years.
“Who in the top 10 would want to give Itauma a shot? There won’t be many, I promise you. He is a special talent,” former world champion Anthony Crolla said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Fortunate Fisher extends unbeaten record
Essex’s Fisher remains unbeaten but his stock will have taken a massive dip after a highly contentious result.
The 25-year-old found success with shots to the body in the opening round before Allen grew in confidence, landing powerful, thudding shots.
The contest soon became a slugfest, neither man really asserting their dominance before Fisher was dropped for the first time as a professional.
Fisher went into survival mode and was hurt again several times as the fight progressed but, to his credit, continued to stand and trade.
There was little technique to either fighter’s work, though Doncaster’s Allen was landing the more hurtful punches.
Allen, 32, had promised to deliver a huge upset. Convinced of the victory, he fell to the canvas in tears before the referee’s scores were announced after 10 gruelling rounds.
One judge scored it 96-93 to Allen, the other two scoring it 95-94.
Fisher, alongside his Chinese takeaway loving, viral sensation dad ‘Big’ John Fisher, boasts a huge following, but he left the arena to a chorus of boos from a vocal crowd.
“I thought it was very easy to score. But, this is boxing, this is a business,” boxing trainer Shane McGuigan said on Sky Sports.
“The close rounds when you’re leaning towards the guy that is selling tickets, sometimes those are the decisions [that make you] sway towards that fighter.”
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