Moses Itauma’s Age Chase meets its first real test

Itauma returns on January 24 in Manchester against Jermaine Franklin. The fight is not designed to grab headlines. Franklin is durable, experienced and difficult to take down early. He was never arrested. For Itauma, this makes the fight more purposeful than dramatic.

Most of Itauma’s professional victories ended quickly. He has 13 victories, including 11 by knockout, and has not gone beyond six rounds. That profile has increased, but it has also left open questions about how he handles longer fights, slower tempos and moments when an opponent refuses to give ground.

Promoter Frank Warren stressed that Franklin was a necessary step. Franklin went the distance with Anthony Joshua and lost a close decision to Dillian Whyte. He’s not considered a threat at the top of the division, but he’s reliable enough to expose weaknesses if they exist.

Itauma’s save against Whyte last summer in Riyadh was his most visible victory. It ended in just one round and cemented his reputation as a big puncher. If Itauma can’t stop Franklin early, that will likely say more about his readiness than another one-rounder.

The division itself has changed since Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBO title. Itauma is ranked number one with the WBA and WBO. This positioning puts him close to a title opportunity if the sanctioning bodies move.

If a title fight happens later this year, the focus won’t stay on Itauma’s age for long. Heavyweight history tends to reduce age records to footnotes once the opponent is examined. The Franklin fight won’t answer all the questions, but it will indicate whether Itauma is preparing on substance rather than timing.