Moses Itauma has never been knocked down in his professional career.
The hard-hitting heavyweight Itauma is on most fans’ one to watch lists, but now with a fight against Dillian Whyte scheduled, a win would quickly elevate him from prospect to contender.
Before the ‘Body Snatcher’ has even stepped in the ring with the 20-year-old prospect, Whyte has been told about the ‘dangerous’ power of his fellow British fighter.
Brixton’s finest has already had a taste of two domestic names’ power, with losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua both happening inside the distance.
Moses Itauma questions ‘no chin’ comments by critics ahead of Dillian Whyte fight
But the future of the heavyweight division has not yet faced any stiff competition or taken a significant power shot, which has led some to question his chin ahead of bigger fights.
While a concern for fans and pundits, the man himself is not fazed by the lack of shots taken.
Speaking to TalkSport, he responded: “I mean it’s not, it’s not tested. I agree. But the best chins are the ones that don’t get tested.
“So, I don’t really understand this new concept of boxing where I need to get hit on the chin to see if you’re a good boxer.
“I just never understood that. Obviously the aim of boxing is to hit and not get hit. So why am I getting the blame because I don’t get hit?”
Comments about tested chins have persisted over the past decade, with fighters like Joshua being the centre of attention, especially after his losses to Andy Ruiz and Daniel Dubois.
However, it is expected that the young fighter may provide some answers on his ability to ride a shot against an established UK heavyweight name.
“If I go my whole career and I don’t get punched one time, people are going to be like, ‘Oh,
but he can’t be a great because he never got hit,” he said.
“So listen, my chin is not tested under the bright lights. Obviously, I’ve sparred many rounds. Sparring is different. There’s only one way to find out.”
Moses Itauma brutally honest about what a loss to Dillian Whyte would mean
If the 37-year-old does crack his much younger foe and hands him his first loss, it will leave people to ask where he can go from there.
It is difficult to manage the expectations of a prospect whilst promoting hype around their name; however, he is very realistic about what a defeat would mean on August 16th.
In an interview with BoxNation, he broached the idea of a potential setback honestly.
He said: “I took this fight against Dillian Whyte because I think I can beat him.
“If I can’t beat him, it’s not because of my age and maturity. It’s because I wasn’t good enough.”
Based on recent form, though, it is difficult to see a way for the challenger, Whyte, to win, given two low-key victories over lesser opposition.