Murat Gassiev Wants to Face Moses Itauma in The UK

Murat Gassiev (33-2, 26 KOs) is roaring to defend his WBA (Regular) Heavyweight title, after winning the belt in a showdown against Kubrat Pulev in December. And if Gassiev’s words are to go by, mandatory challenger, Moses Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs), whose promoters are looking to secure opponents, might soon have a fight waiting for him.

In conversation with the Ring Magazine, when asked if he’d fight Itauma, Gassiev  only had one resounding response.

“Of course I would fight him. Why not? I am the champion, he is a challenger. Me and all the other real fighters are here for real fights. I never run from anyone, I’m ready for anybody, anywhere,” he said.” All I need is an opponent, a referee, my team and I’m ready to go.”

Itauma was last seen in August, when he defeated Dillian Whyte via an impressive first round TKO.

The potential Itauma vs. Gassiev fight is a classic prospect vs. proven power-puncher matchup. With Itauma as the No.1 contender and Gassiev holding the title, a clash is very realistic if he keeps his streak. Gassiev has also been persistent in his callouts, basically saying, ‘bring him on’. He openly welcomed the fight and even praised Itauma while still framing it as a serious test. Meanwhile, his team has been clear that they’re not avoiding Itauma and would undoubtedly embrace that matchup, a pretty respectful callout in boxing terms.

In fact, Gassiev would love it even more if the fight took place in the UK.

“I would love to have that fight in the UK because it’s a dream of mine to have a fight there. I love the UK, the boxing fans there, the atmosphere. I want to experience everything there, your people, your food, your mentality and I also want to go and watch soccer,” he said.

“Don’t Know What Will Happen”

Meanwhile, Itauma is all set to face Jermaine Franklin on March 28. While Gassiev is sure that the fight will not be an easy one for Itauma, he is hopeful that the latter will emerge victorious.

“I don’t know what will happen in this fight because Franklin is not an easy opponent. He has good boxing skill. He’s not a fake fighter, he’s a real fighter and for sure he’ll give a very hard fight for Moses,” he said.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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