The heavyweight sensation’s trainer, Ben Davison, is not worried about his fighter competing up close in the main event.
Moses Itauma and Dillian Whyte have been incredibly respectful towards one another in the build-up to their August 16th clash in Saudi Arabia. Still, both are promising to deliver on the night.
In his 12-fight professional career, Itauma has been to the scorecards twice over the six-round distance, and even though he has not had a rough fight, he believes his experience in ‘scrappy’ Tyson Fury spars may have helped.
However, sparring is different from a professional fight, and because he hasn’t faced an established name like Whyte as yet, it has led critics to claim he has ‘no chin’.
‘Nightmare’ Moses Itauma can easily compete with Dillian Whyte in a ‘dog fight’ says trainer
The expectation is that ‘The Body Snatcher’ may finally provide the resistance to see how exactly the star can take a hard shot.
Davison, though, is not concerned by talk of his fighter’s chin and believes he will surprise fans on the night if he is lured into an up-close dust-up with his 37-year-old rival.
In an interview with TalkSport, the trainer explained: “No, definitely not. You don’t have to. Will he get hit on the chin? Possibly.
“He’s been hit in the amateurs. I’ve seen him be hit in sparring. Never been a concern.
“So, all this is about testing his chin. I think what you really mean is someone to hit him, hurt him, take him to a place where he’s uncomfortable.”
He has been a part of the set-up at the Ben Davison Performance Centre, alongside former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, since his ninth fight against Ilja Mezencev in 2024.
The Essex coach is almost hoping the fight will turn ugly just so the prospect can prove to the audience that there is more to his game than meets the eye.
“If it turns into a dog fight and all the rest of it, I think there are areas to Moses’ game that people haven’t seen yet. And I think if it goes that way, I wouldn’t be surprised if Moses was the one who got the better of that situation,” he said.
“He can fight up close, he can fight inside, he can defend himself, he can look after himself. He is a nightmare to be in the ring with.”
Trainer Ben Davison reveals what Ricky Hatton admitted to him about his Floyd Mayweather loss
As the 20-year-old possesses a supreme talent and has a keen focus on his in-ring craft, people do not associate him with being a rugged fighter who can mix it up on the inside.
These same critiques were said of other boxers, such as Floyd Mayweather Jr, because of their defensive acumen.
But according to former Mayweather opponent Ricky Hatton, who spoke to Davison, this was not the case.
During the interview, he continued: “I’ve seen him in spars where guys have come to try and put it on him, and by the end of the spar, he’s walking them down. And that’s the sort of stuff that you want to see.
“That’s the sort of stuff that you know what you see people associate Floyd Mayweather with being this boxer.
“I had a conversation with Ricky Hatton before, and he said, ‘You want to know the truth, Ben? Floyd was beating the out of me up close’. That’s what Ricky told me.”
Whether Moses will be dragged into the fight Dillian wants will be answered on the night, but it would seem his team is potentially planning on it.