Roy Jones Jr only sees one winner in Oleksandr Usyk vs. Moses Itauma

Roy Jones Jr has offered his take on a potential heavyweight clash between Oleksandr Usyk and Moses Itauma, firmly believing that the timing of their clash could determine its outcome.

As the true current king of his division, Usyk has very little to prove, but hope to fight two or three more times before hanging up his gloves.

Although nothing is confirmed yet, the Ukrainian is expected to face former world champion Deontay Wilder later this year, possibly in April or May, after picking up a fifth-round stoppage victory over Daniel Dubois in July 2025.

At the time, Usyk had achieved his goal of becoming a three-time undisputed champion in two weight classes. He now looks to defend his WBC, IBF and WBA titles against a commercially viable opponent in America, rather than the toughest test the division offers.

British heavyweight prodigy Itauma, meanwhile, finds himself on a very different trajectory following his first round matchup against Dillian Whyte in August.

Despite all the hype surrounding this promising 21-year-old, Itauma has yet to compete at the level of heavyweight phenom Usyk.

Instead, the precocious talent now prepares to face Jermaine Franklinan opponent who should offer more resistance than his previous opponents on January 24.

For Jones, who recently spoke with Boxing at the clubhouseit is crucial that Itauma continues to build his experience gradually, rather than embarking on a premature test against Usyk.

“[Whether Itauma can become a dominant force] it depends on how [he] understands this pressure; how much he wants it.

“He can do whatever he wants because he has all the abilities, he is very explosive [and] he does everything well.

“Nothing should really stop him from becoming world champion, except [by] moving too quickly.

“If you put him with Usyk now, it’s going too fast.”

Jone already said The ring that matching the two would be like “throwing Itauma to the wolves.”

The two men may never cross paths, although a “changing of the guard” fight remains a possibility.