Saturday night at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, U.K., young heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) returns to the ring to face veteran Jermaine Franklin (24-2, 15 KOs) in a scheduled ten-round bout live on DAZN.
This fight is a significant step for Itauma, who is being fast-tracked toward a potential title shot in the near future. He must first get past Franklin, who has gone the distance with some of the division’s best. Is this the moment when Itauma officially proves he’s next in line, or will Franklin have tricks up his sleeve that will give Itauma something to think about?
Is Moses Itauma The Real Deal?
Although fans and many media members are all in on Itauma being the next big thing in the heavyweight division, the jury is still out on the 21-year-old from Kezmarok, Slovakia. Itauma turned pro in 2013 and has since dominated his opponents without passing the sixth round. His first real test was against Dillian Whyte in August, and it only took him one round to beat him. Now Itauma faces Franklin, which is a step up in gatekeepers to see if he can move on to the next level—fighting a top ten or top five opponent. There will be a lot of eyes on Itauma this Saturday, and if he can beat Franklin as convincingly as he did Whyte, well, we may in fact have the next threat to the heavyweight crown in our hands.
What does Itauma need to do to secure another spectacular knockout? He should jump all over Franklin right from the opening bell. Itauma needs to do what he does best and that’s change eye levels with his right jab to the body and head. Additionally, Ituama’s quick combinations will be too much for Franklin to handle. If Itauma can keep the fight fast-paced from the start, Franklin will be out of gas by the fifth round and then be ready to go.
Jermaine Franklin Needs To Be A Veteran
If there’s ever a moment for Franklin to shine brightly, it’s on Saturday night against Itauma. Although Franklin has shared the ring with some of boxing’s biggest names like Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, he’s been inactive, as this will only be his fifth fight in three years. That’s not ideal for fighters, especially in the heavyweight division. His last fight was in September, when he scored a unanimous decision over Ivan Dychko in Las Vegas, NV. Franklin’s strength is taking fighters into deep waters, as he’s never been stopped, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can take the young Itauma the distance.
To avoid a knockout or a ten-round unanimous decision loss, Franklin needs to be experienced and seize opportunities. Itauma can be open when he throws punches with his chin high. Franklin does his best when the pace slows, but he won’t get that chance, so he’ll need to punch with Itauma at times and hope one of his shots gets through and rocks Itauma. If he can land a shot that hurts Itauma, it might be his only chance to try and stop him.
MOSES ITAUMA VS JERMAINE FRANKLIN PREDICTION
It’s difficult to see a scenario where Franklin wins, so I’m choosing Itauma to brutally stop him in the fifth round.
MOSES ITAUMA VS JERMAINE FRANKLIN BETTING ODDS
Per BETUS, Moses Itauma is the favorite at -2500, and Jermaine Franklin is the underdog at +900.
Moses Itauma: TKO/KO -320; Decision +275
Draw: +2500
Jermaine Franklin: TKO/KO +1600; Decision: +2500
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