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Moses Itauma continued his upward trajectory by knocking out Ilja Mezencev in the second round to capture the WBO international heavyweight title on Saturday. The 19-year-old was fighting on the undercard for Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk's heavyweight unification bout.
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Itauma has been backed to soon be the next dominant force in the heavyweight division having earned huge praise since turning professional. And he showed exactly what he was made of against 28-year-old Mezencev with a brutal stoppage in the second round.
Speaking recently, Fury tipped the Chatham teenager to become world champion one day.
Moses Itauma has won all 10 of his professional fights
GETTY
“I think he’s a good kid,” said Fury, when speaking about 19-year-old Itauma.
“I have said in the past that I think he can be a champion and like I said about Jared Anderson, I think Jared and Moses are both very, very good fighters.
“However, there is a lot of temptation, a lot of stuff outside of boxing that makes fighters not achieve what they should have done and it’s the same old story, woulda, shoulda, coulda.
“They’re only starting off a career and if they can stay on the right path and away from the idiots, away from the women, away from the drunken nights, away from the cranks, then I believe both of them can go on and win world titles.”
His win over Mezencev moved Itauma to 9-0 for his career and winning the WBO international heavyweight belt moves him one step closer to challenging for a major belt one day.
Mike Tyson holds the record as the youngest heavyweight champion in history at the age of 20 and four months.
Itauma has made no secret of his desire to break that record and he has just under two years to do that.
A title shot is out of the question this year with Fury and Usyk booked to fight twice while Anthony Joshua is eyeing up a challenge for the IBF belt.
But Itauma isn't lacking in confidence as he called out anyone who was willing to face him next.
Moses Itauma knocked Ilja Mezencev out in the second round
GETTY
"Anyone can get it," he said.
"The thing is, everyone I call out doesn't want to fight so I don't know.
"Now I got this title with me I'm happy with any opponent.
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Tyson Fury has backed Moses Itauma to become a world champion
"Obviously I've got to sit down and talk with my team and come back with another statement."
And Itauma feels breaking Tyson's record as the youngest heavyweight champion is even more plausible after his comfortable win over Mezencev.
"Now that I got this belt 100 per cent," he added.
