Trending Now - Moses Itauma Aims to Dominate Jermaine Franklin in Manchester Showdown

WHO:

Moses Itauma, 21 years old, is being heralded as the future global king of heavyweight boxing.

Jermaine Franklin, Jr. is identified as Itauma's toughest test yet.

Moses Itauma, English fighter

Jermaine Franklin, Jr., American fighter

WHAT:

BBC - Franklin was knocked out cold in the fifth round by a clean uppercut.

BBC - Itauma's victory marks his 12th stoppage in 14 professional fights.

BBC - Franklin had previously only been defeated by British fighters Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.

BBC - Frank Warren, Itauma's promoter, stated that Itauma will be back out in July 2026.

BBC - Moses Itauma won the fight against Jermaine Franklin by a fifth-round stoppage.

BBC - Itauma recorded his 12th stoppage in 14 professional fights.

BBC - Jermaine Franklin was stopped for the first time in 27 bouts.

BBC - Itauma stated, "The first two rounds I thought it would go the distance. Then in the fifth round when I caught with him the uppercut, I thought 'did I really do that?'"

Daily Mail Sports - Moses Itauma has expressed that he is craving a longer fight, stating, "This time, he is craving rounds."

Daily Mail Sports - Itauma has had to wait for his chance to fight Jermaine Franklin, indicating that he is seen as the future of heavyweight boxing.

Itauma is on a nine-fight knockout streak, with every victory ending within the first two rounds.

Last summer, Itauma defeated Dillian Whyte in just 61 seconds in Saudi Arabia.

Itauma has achieved 11 knockouts in 13 successful contests.

Moses Itauma is competing in a title bout for the heavyweight championship.

The match is a 12-round contest.

Itauma's titles on the line include the Heavyweight WBA International and Heavyweight WBO Inter-Continental title belts.

WHERE:

The fight is taking place at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.

The fight is taking place in Manchester, England.

WHEN:

BBC - The fight took place on March 28th, 2026.

The event is scheduled for March 28th, 2026.

WHY:

BBC - Itauma expressed a desire to fight unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk but mentioned he will "sit and wait my turn."

Moses Itauma aims to become the youngest world heavyweight champion by breaking the record of 20 years and four months set by Mike Tyson.

HOW:

BBC - Itauma methodically broke down Franklin, landing crisp combinations and heavy power punches.

BBC - Itauma reflected on his quick victory over Dillian Whyte, saying, "It just went so fast," and noted feeling underwhelmed after the fight.

BBC - Moses Itauma expressed his desire for a longer fight, stating, "This time, he is craving rounds."

Moses Itauma expressed a desire for a longer fight, stating, "This time, he is craving rounds."

Itauma expressed feeling underwhelmed after his quick victory, stating, "When I got to the changing room, I was a little bit underwhelmed. In training camp for 14 weeks, for the fight to go two minutes, it's a bit underwhelming, because it's like, did I have to train all that?"

Itauma is expected to utilize his skills to potentially defeat Franklin early in the match.

(UPDATED March 29, 2026 13:16 UTC)

In a stunning fifth-round knockout, Franklin was taken out cold by a clean uppercut from Itauma, who celebrated his twelfth stoppage in just fourteen professional fights. Prior to this defeat, Franklin had only lost to British boxing stars Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. Promoter Frank Warren announced that Itauma is set to return to the ring in July 20th26.

(UPDATED March 29, 2026 03:52 UTC)

Moses Itauma scored an impressive fifth-round stoppage against Jermaine Franklin on Saturday, marking his 12th stoppage in just 14 professional fights. This victory also marked the first time Franklin has been stopped in his 27-bout career. After the fight, Itauma expressed his ambition to challenge unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk, stating he would "sit and wait my turn" while reflecting on his performance where he methodically broke down Franklin with sharp combinations and powerful punches.

(UPDATED March 29, 2026 01:18 UTC)

Moses Itauma has expressed a desire for a longer fight, stating, "This time, he is craving rounds," as he prepares to face Jermaine Franklin, who many see as a significant challenge in his career. Reflecting on his quick victory over Dillian Whyte, Itauma admitted, "It just went so fast," and noted that he felt somewhat underwhelmed by the outcome. With this upcoming match, Itauma is positioning himself as a promising future star in heavyweight boxing.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 23:02 UTC)

Moses Itauma has expressed his desire for a longer fight, saying, "This time, he is craving rounds." The statement was made at 17:04 UTC, as reported by the BBC. Itauma's eagerness for a more extended bout highlights his readiness to showcase his skills in the ring.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 19:09 UTC)

The highly anticipated fight is taking place at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England. Moses Itauma has expressed a desire for a longer bout, stating, "This time, he is craving rounds." Fans are eager to see how this will unfold in the ring.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 17:05 UTC)

Moses Itauma, just 21 years old, is being hailed as the future global king of heavyweight boxing, and he faces his toughest test yet against Jermaine Franklin, Jr. Currently on a nine-fight knockout streak, Itauma has ended every victory within the first two rounds, including a stunning win over Dillian Whyte in just 61 seconds last summer in Saudi Arabia. Despite his impressive record of 11 knockouts in 13 fights, Itauma admitted feeling underwhelmed after such a quick victory, reflecting on his extensive training by saying, "When I got to the changing room, I was a little bit underwhelmed."

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 15:05 UTC)

Moses Itauma is set to compete against Jermaine Franklin, Jr. in a 12-round title bout for the heavyweight championship in Manchester, England, on March 28, 2026. Itauma will be defending his Heavyweight WBA International and Heavyweight WBO Inter-Continental title belts, as he aims to become the youngest world heavyweight champion by breaking Mike Tyson's record of 20 years and four months. With expectations high, Itauma is anticipated to utilize his skills to potentially secure an early victory over Franklin.