Moses Itauma explains why he nearly quit boxing before heavyweight rise

Moses Itauma was close to calling a day on his boxing career, but is now closing in on the pinnacle of the sport.

Itauma is set for his biggest fight yet this Saturday night when he takes on Jermaine Franklin in Manchester.

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It is to be a vital step in the career progression of the 21-year-old, as he looks to get experience under his belt to prepare himself for his inevitable world title challenge.

The teenage sensation’s meteoric rise saw him crowned national champion with his unbeaten amateur record seeing him catch the eye.

He even touched gloves with some of the brightest stars in the sport during his years at school.

But after seeing the successes of others around him, he grew tired with slow progress in his career.

And before his rise now, he even gave up the sport for several months and contemplated a permanent exit before turning professional.

He said on Jamie Laing’s podcast: “There was a point where I was a two-time National champion, two-time European champion.

“But I still hadn’t been paid a penny, so I was like ‘why am I doing this boxing thing for?’.

“I had mild and a severe concussion, I felt like I was damaging my body and I was like ‘what am I doing this for?’.

“Then I just stopped boxing for months, this was during the Covid pandemic. I just felt like I was getting nothing.

“I then got back fit and got back in the gym. Then the year after I won the Youth Europeans and everyone was raving about me.”

It was a key turning point for Itauma who was blowing away all his amateur opposition and got back to doing what he does best, leaving a trail of destruction in the ring.

He is now 13 fights into his professional career and is on the cusp of world glory before even reaching the end of his physical development.

Moses Itauma – route to his world title destiny

But the problems of the past are very much behind the heavy-handed prodigy.

Victory over Franklin will help him retain his No.1 spot with two governing bodies.

And manager Francis Warren has revealed he is then likely to look at the winner of Richard Torrez Jr’s IBF eliminator with Frank Sanchez.

He even told talkSPORT that a petition will be put in to enforce the clash.

He explained: “The IBF being contested between Richard Torrez and Frank Sanchez, one of the guys has pulled out with an injury, so that has been delayed until the summer.

“So maybe Moses has one more. I’ll be in Vietnam for the IBF convention (running from May 24 to May 28), petitioning for the winner of that fight.

“So he’s in a great position to challenge for all four of the governing belts.

“And it seems the IBF is the next one in the round robin that doesn’t involve a Queensberry fighter.

“Moses would step up and fight anyone if you asked him. “He is still young, so we are taking it fight by fight.”

Boxing schedule

For all the upcoming fights and results this year, check out talkSPORT.com’s  boxing schedule.