Moses Itauma must be tested before Oleksandr Usyk fight but agendas may get in the way

So who is next for Moses Itauma? There are plenty of opponents who would stretch him more than Dillian Whyte, but they have their own agendas and many of them are in the same promotional stable.

One thing is certain, Itauma needs to be tested to further his world title dreams. No sanctioning body would accept him without that.

If I go back to my own career, had I not fought and beaten Juan Laporte, who had just lost his world title, I wouldn't have got a shot at the WBA crown. Even if we had negotiated things with Eusebio Pedroza, the WBA wouldn't have given me a shot.

Joseph Parker would be a great fight for Itauma, but why would he put at risk his chances of shooting for the stars against Oleksandr Usyk?

Fabio Wardley has a bright future of his own to protect, and Daniel Dubois does not need the jeopardy as he seeks to rehabilitate his career after successive defeats to Usyk.

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And since both are promoted by Frank Warren, there is little prospect of their paths crossing at this stage in the 20-year-old’s career.

The same goes for Agit Kabayel, who is also under Warren’s wing. The unbeaten German registered his 18th KO win in 24 bouts against Zhilei Zhang in February. Though he was down in the fifth, he finished it with a body shot in the sixth.

Kabayel is not a devastating puncher but boxes well, takes a shot, has good stamina and throws punches in bunches. That win saw him climb to fourth in the Ring rankings and into contention to face Usyk.

For me he would be the ideal opponent but Warren is talking about headlining an autumn show with Kabayel in his native Germany whilst Usyk decides his next move. Perhaps Itauma would be worth the risk for Justis Huni, who was comfortably ahead of Wardley until he walked onto that big right hand in the tenth.

Huni is organised and moves well. Wardley is unconventional and very heavy handed, qualities that ultimately pulled it out of the fire for him. Whomever Warren puts in front of Itauma, he will have to offer a stiffer challenge than Whyte, someone capable of stretching him, taking him into difficult areas.

Can he go 12 rounds, or even ten rounds flat out? That's the big question. I said the Whyte fight would end early, and though I gave him half a dozen rounds, I was not that surprised to see him fall in the first.

His punch resistance is gone. He was hit with a decent shot and never recovered. That’s boxing.

Follow Barry on X at @ClonesCyclone @mcguigans_Gym

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