Moses Itauma could land title shot if he beats Jermaine Franklin as champion opens door

WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev will happily entertain a fight with Moses Itauma.

The fast-rising British star is the WBA mandatory challenger and is ranked No.1 by the major sanctioning body.

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He had been ordered to face Kubrat Pulev for the ‘regular’ belt last year.

However, the matter quickly dissolved when the WBA approved a request for Pulev to face Gassiev instead.

Gassiev went on to flatten Pulev in the sixth round to snatch the black and gold strap and, as a result, has inherited the mandatory commitment with Itauma.

Providing Itauma defeats Jermaine Franklin on March 28, he will be able to enforce his mandatory status.

Gassiev’s promoter, Al Siesta, is aiming to land his client a title defence in July, and says a fight with Itauma would be welcomed with open arms.

“We are aiming for early July, late June, Murat Gassiev will be making his defence,” IBA chief Siesta told Boxing Social.

“We all know that Moses Itauma is fighting Jermaine Franklin.

“In my opinion, this is the most serious test he has had to date. Dillian Whyte was in decline.

“He’s a great fighter with a great legacy, but it wasn’t the Dillian Whyte we knew. He’s at the end of his career.

“Same would have been with probably Derek Chisora, Mariusz Wach and other people he beat.

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“Jermaine Franklin is game – a very competent individual, great fighter.

“And if Moses wins spectacularly, that will give us a very good indication of where he really is.

“I really like Moses Itauma. I think he’s the real deal. He’s been extremely impressive so far, and nobody wants to fight him.

“But, trust me, Murat Gassiev will embrace that.”

Pressed on whether Gassiev favours a fight with Itauma, Siesta replied: “We would like any fight. Bring it on.

“We would like any fight. Murat Gassiev is 32 years of age.

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“If he is shying away from anybody, what is the point of holding the title?”

Siesta also expressed interest in having Gassiev lock horns with the winner of Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois‘ WBO heavyweight title fight in May, as well as bouts with Filip Hrgovic, Michael Hunter or Zhilei Zhang.