Moses Itauma beats Kevin Nicolas Espindola on points; Chatham boxer is aiming to break Mike Tyson’s record as youngest world heavyweight champion
Published: 05:00, 03 August 2023
Ambitious young heavyweight boxer Moses Itauma has called for a better standard of opponent after a frustrating win at the weekend.
Itauma clinched his fourth professional victory of 2023 - one that started with a 23-second demolition of Marcel Bode back in January - as he won on points against Argentinian Kevin Nicolas Espindola.
Itauma won Saturday’s six-round contest at the Telford International Centre 60-54 on referee Kevin Parker’s scorecard, his second successive fight to have gone the distance.
The 18-year-old Chatham boxer, a former world youth amateur champion, is aiming to become the youngest ever heavyweight champion of the world, emulating Mike Tyson, who won at the age of 20 years and four months back in 1986.
Weekend opponent Espindola soaked up what was thrown at him and his defensive style frustrated the Kent teenager.
Speaking afterward on iFL TV, Itauma said: “I would have loved to have got him out of there but if they are not giving you anything, what can you do?
“I’m not a t**t. If I am better than somebody I am not going to showboat, because I know I am the better man, I tried a little showboating to try and aggravate him and to get him to come forward, but it is what it is, if you don’t want to punch, you don’t want to punch.
“I was trying to get him to fight but what can I do? Maybe this is a call to get me a fight with a step-up opponent.
“I wanted to get him angry to come forward and capitalise on a mistake but he was a smart man!”
Itauma (4-0) is back in action at Wembley Arena on September 23.
“Maybe I'll get a better opponent - we’ll see,” he added.
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Luke Cawdell