As hype continues spreading ahead of this Saturday’s hugely-anticipated world title fight for Nigerian-born heavyweight, Moses Itauma, one of the youngster’s brothers has revealed how his sibling used to brutally beat up older men when he was much younger.
Sports247 reports that the stunning reflection adds to massive expectations of victory for Itauma during Saturday’s International Boxing Federation (IBF) title fight at London’s O2 Arena, with all odds titlting in favour of the British lad, whose father hails from Akwa Ibom State.
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Older brother of the ‘incoming champion,’ Karol, recalled how his younger sibling was knocking out grown males since he was 12 years old, thereby raising early comparisons with ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, who holds the record as the world’s youngest ever heavyweight champion.
Karol’s disclosure has further raised expectations ahead of Saturday’s big night in London, as the 21-year-old Itauma and Filip Hrgovic face off for the IBF’s vacant heavyweight world title, with many betting on the Nigerian-born lad, who enacted two round one knockouts in 2023.
Just three years on, and with a record of 12 knockouts from a total of 14 professional fights, Itauma can become the youngest British heavyweight champion of all time if he overcomes Hrgovic at O2 Arena, something that many fight pundits already tag fait accompli.
That would mark a special moment of delight for the young boxer’s father, who hails from Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and is of the Ibibio/Efik heritage, as well as delight for Karol, who is also a boxer.
Karol Itauma, who is a light-heavyweight and won a gold medal for Great Britain at the 2018 Youth Olympics, helps guide his younger brother, Moses, in his fast-rising career as well as in various business ventures.
Karil, who had to quit the roped squad after suffering a heart attack in 2024, is backing his younger brother to go all the way to the top of the boxing ranks that he could not achieve.
The older Itauma, who opened a health club in 2026, recalled on SunSport’s No Glove Lost show: “You knew that he had a level of skill as a 12- year old, getting a grown man and dropping him with a body shot. I still remember that. Obviously, back then, it wasn’t power, it was just the IQ.
“I remember being actually in the last tournament before he turned professional, which was the World Championships. If you go a few months prior to that, it was the Europeans and he literally went through the whole contest, stopping everyone in the first round.”
Sports247 reports further that Itauma turned pro in 2023 at the age of 18 and was already drawing comparisons to a prime Tyson, whose record he wanted to break as the youngest heavyweight champ of all time at 20 years and 145 days old.
However, now that he’s already above 21 years old, Itauma will have to settle for second youngest champ ever when he takes on Hrgovic this Saturday for the vacant IBF title … and it comes just 15 bouts and three years after the start of his professional career.
