Is Moses Itauma the Next Mike Tyson?

“Moses Itauma reminds me of a young Mike Tyson,” said the headline above Jeff Powell’s column in the Daily Mail.

Powell, the dean of British boxing writers, now in his sixth decade as a sports journalist, was as impressed as anyone by Itauma’s 119-second demolition of Dillian Whyte on Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “[Whyte] hardly threw a punch and did not land any as Itauma pummeled him from the first – and only bell,” continued Powell.

Itauma, born in Slovakia to a Nigerian father and Slovakian mother, was raised in the English port city of Chatham, a 40-minute train ride to London. He is 20 years old and his match with Dillian Whyte was his thirteenth pro fight.

Eleven of Itauma’s 13 wins have come by knockout, all inside the first two rounds. Tyson had a similar start to his pro career, winning his first 13 fights by knockout, only two of which lasted beyond the second stanza.

Itauma’s best attribute is his fast hands. Credentialed reporters with an internet platform who rushed to get their post-fight stories into print without waiting for the slo-mo replay, were in accord that Whyte was blinded by a barrage of punches, but they were not in complete accord as to what kind of punches begat and ended the flurry. The punches came in such rapid succession that one could not keep track of them.

The young Mike Tyson was also renowned for his hand speed. “All who see Tyson marvel at the fighter’s quick hands and punching power in both fists,” wrote Larry Fox in a long feature story about Tyson for the New York Daily News. When this story was written, Tyson had only two pro fights under his belt.

Upon turning pro at age 18 after a brief but undefeated amateur career, Moses Itauma declared that one of his goals was to beat Mike Tyson’s record as the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

That won’t happen. Tyson was 20 years and four months old when he knocked out Trevor Berbick to win the WBC version of the belt. However, although extremely unlikely, Itauma does have a chance of breaking Tyson’s record as the youngest unified heavyweight champion. Iron Mike was 21 years and 32 days old when he unified the title with a 12-round decision over Tony Tucker; Itauma turns 21 three days after Christmas.

Of course, there are also some obvious dissimilarities between the former “baddest man” and his potential successor. Mike Tyson stood five-foot-ten; Itauma is at least six inches taller. The young Tyson bobbed his head as he stalked his prey, making him a more elusive target, and he had an aura about him that hasn’t been replicated. It was manifested in his no-frills ring walk—no fancy silk robe, not even socks; just the essentials – shorts and boots, both solid black, and a plain white towel draped over his shoulders. (Itauma’s ringwalk on Saturday was longer than his fight, but it felt gimmicky whereas Tyson’s ringwalk felt organic.)

Before Tyson knocked out Joe Frazier’s son Marvis in 30 seconds (the most memorable of his fights before capturing his first title) he had appeared on 11 magazine covers, notably Sports Illustrated, and had been featured in People, America’s best-selling weekly. However, assuming that Moses Itauma has a long career, more words will be written about him than were written about Mike Tyson in his fighting days. In the modern (i.e., digital information) age, anyone with a home computer – which is just about everyone – can play at being a journalist and get folks to read what he scribbles.

Still, it’s hard to imagine that Itauma will transcend his sport in the fashion of Tyson whose made-for-Hollywood backstory and tumultuous rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches history continue to fascinate.

By the way, there is an American fighter with an identical record to Moses Itauma. Former Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr, 26, is also undefeated in 13 fights with 11 KOs.

Mike Tyson was a 12/1 favorite when he conquered Tony Tucker, notwithstanding Tucker’s impressive record (34-0, 30 KOs). Moses Itauma would be priced similarly if matched against Torrez. It used to be the other way around, but nowadays American heavyweights can’t hold a candle to their British counterparts.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE