Former world boxing champion Prince Naseem Hamed has offered high praise for rising heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma, suggesting the undefeated fighter operates on a vastly superior plane compared to veteran British stars Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
The unblemished 21-year-old fighter from Chatham is scheduled to square off against Croatia's Filip Hrgovic this Saturday at London's O2 Arena. The bout carries the vacant IBF heavyweight title, presenting a major career milestone for the young contender who has triumphed in all 14 of his professional appearances.
Hamed expressed extreme confidence in the young contender's abilities during a recent interview. The former featherweight standout asserted that neither Joshua nor Fury would willingly step into the ring against Itauma, noting that any veteran brave enough to do so would face a daunting challenge against an exceptional talent.
Should Itauma secure a victory on Saturday, he would capture his maiden world championship in his 15th professional contest. This achievement would allow him to claim the belt one fight quicker than Joshua managed when he secured his first global title in his 16th outing.
A triumph this weekend would also etch Itauma's name into the history books as the second-youngest heavyweight world champion of all time. He would sit just behind Mike Tyson on the all-time list, while narrowly missing the record for Britain's youngest-ever world champion, which Hamed himself established in 1995 at 21 years and 230 days old.
While acknowledging the significant contributions that Fury and Joshua have made to the sport in the United Kingdom throughout their respective careers, Hamed insisted that neither man matches the raw talent of the rising contender. Fury has previously suffered two career defeats at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk, while Joshua holds four losses across his extensive professional resume.
The weekend matchup pits Itauma against a formidable and experienced opponent in Hrgovic. The 34-year-old Croatian boasts an impressive amateur background highlighted by an Olympic bronze medal, alongside a professional ledger featuring just a single loss, which came against Daniel Dubois in 2024.
Despite Hrgovic holding a theoretical advantage in experience and strength of schedule, Hamed anticipates a comfortable evening for the challenger. Rather than viewing the contest as a genuine obstacle, the former champion expects Itauma to cruise to victory and claim the vacant strap with relative ease.
Hamed emphasized that personal records are secondary to watching a generational talent reach his ultimate potential. With a world title opportunity directly ahead, the boxing community waits to see if the young challenger can validate the lofty expectations placed upon his shoulders.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
