During the build-up to Moses Itauma’s clash with Jermaine Franklin in Manchester this evening, DAZN released a video showing the laconic American turning up at a local Co-op.
Gloved up and ready for a rumble, Franklin bumps into a random London geezer and takes part in some bubbly badinage on the streets of Hulme.
In fact, both boxers entered the world of pre-fight banter, with Itauma later performing his own skit. Not ideal for a man who has been seen ranting about the ardour of media obligations.
However, it kicked off the embryonic formation of a much-needed connection with the same public he hopes will soon help to bankroll his run to the summit. Those prospective fans were out in force tonight.
The two protagonists were clearly nudged out of their respective comfort zones by the promotional PR team, eager to insert a touch of personality into a fight between two of the quietest men of the division. No harm done.
Comedy sketches aside, as the tired old adage reminds us, Itauma prefers to let his fists do the talking. In tonight’s headline attraction, similar to his previous 13 outings, they were communicating loud and clear.
Moses Itauma hands Jermaine Franklin Jr. his first KO loss
Itauma landed a scything left uppercut to dismiss Franklin in round five. The 21-year-old had already dropped the visitor and was dominating each round with his flashy combinations and ring generalship.
Michigan man Franklin arrived in England with a reputation for durability, having delivered better-than-expected performances in his two previous visits to UK shores.
After pushing Dillian Whyte reasonably close in Wembley at the tail end of 2022, he was flown back over to help kickstart Anthony Joshua’s post-Usyk rebuild, five months later. While Franklin never threatened to upset AJ, he did remain competitive for the full 12 rounds.
Whether he could bring that kind of spirit into a fight with Itauma was being debated during fight week. Franklin had snapped the undefeated slate of Kazakh hope Ivan Dychko last September, so he held some degree of confidence.
Every drop was needed to weather the early punching plague that Moses delivered. Franklin was put on high alert as early as the first round, managing to duck and weave through a rocky final 15 seconds as the Itauma hand speed flowed.
Round two saw Itauma continue the assault downstairs, softening up the Michigan man’s portly frame with stabbing left hands.
When the left hand wasn’t landing, the right hook was. A round three swipe to the top of the head sent Franklin down for a count from referee Steve Gray. He managed to make it out of the session.
“Oooh Moses Itauma!” chanted the Manchester crowd, football style in round four, desperate for a new star to rally behind as Anthony Joshua and Derek Chisora near the end of their respective journeys.
Enter the fifth, and soon the three judges, Bence Kovacs, Jean-Robert Laine, and John Latham, would be rendered unnecessary as Itauma landed the finishing axe.
Franklin got lazy in the pocket, allowing the English southpaw to set his feet, steady himself, and land an uppercut of epic proportions.
The fight was officially waved off at 1-33 of round five (scheduled for 10). The winner, Itauma, is now 14-0 (12 KOs), while Franklin, stopped for the first time, falls to 24-3 (15 KOs).
“I’m confident he’ll fight for the world title this year”: Frank Warren speaks after Franklin finish
Moses Itauma addressed the remaining audience after his big win.
“Thank you very much for the great Manchester crowd. I’ve had a lovely time here. Man, I’m happy to get the win,” he said.
“This is actually where I won my first-ever national title. Seven years later, I’m picking up a win against Jermaine Franklin.
“I’ve done something that other British heavyweights that have gone on to achieve great things didn’t do.
“I’ve got to thank Jermaine Franklin as well. It takes two to tango, so I appreciate it.
“I tried to knock him out in the first and second round, trying to win a few people some dough. I just feel like, maybe not today.
“So, I went back to the basics, switch it, go down to the body. And then the knockout just came. I’m just a young boy chasing a dream.”
Promoter Frank Warren is tasked with the job of matching this young dreamer.
“Usyk’s fighting in Egypt, isn’t he? [In May] after that fight, he’ll be ordered to fight to defend his WBC title, which is against Agit Kabayel,” explained Warren.
“And if he doesn’t do that, he’ll get stripped. And then the next organisation will order him to defend his belt.
“He’s [Usyk] got to defend his mandatories. That’s what they’re all there for, to be done. So, I’m pretty confident he’ll [Itauma] fight for the world title this year.”
Hutch shines, Pauls comes from behind on Itauma-Franklin undercard
Willy Hutchinson posted a career-best display to snatch Ezra Taylor’s undefeated slate by unanimous 10-round decision. Hutchinson’s fluidity and unpredictable movement, flicking stances regularly, was too much for the one-paced Nottingham man to figure out.
The judges’ cards of 99-91 and 98-92 (x2) showed how Hutch dominated proceedings, making Taylor look stiff and confused, trying to avoid the left hook and implement coach Malik Scott’s increasingly strained instructions. All to no avail.
Telford’s Liam Davies laid a beating on Francesco Grandelli for six rounds before the Italian’s corner pulled their man out. Grandelli’s face was busted up and his body took a pounding. Davies is now the European featherweight champion.
Cornwall’s former British middleweight champion Brad Pauls pulled off the ultimate come-from-behind victory, knocking out previously unbeaten Sheffield man Shakiel Thompson in round nine.
Following a tough spell of rounds, where he was on the receiving end for the most part, I noticed that Pauls had started to time Thompson a little better in the eighth.
A stunning right hand in the following session had Thompson’s legs all at sea. He tried to hold on but was eventually stopped by referee Howard Foster.
Boxing with his future prospects dangling by a thread, popular Stoke man Nathan Heaney was dealt a cruel final blow by Colwyn Bay’s Gerome Warburton, who deserved his unanimous victory. Heaney promised the fans one more fight in his home city and out.
Moses Itauma vs. Jermaine Franklin full card results
Moses Itauma Won TKO 5 Jermaine Franklin
Willy Hutchinson Won Pts 10 Ezra Taylor
Liam Davies Won Rtd 6 Francesco Grandelli
Shakiel Thompson Lost Tko 9 Brad Pauls
Nathan Heaney Lost Pts 10 Gerome Warburton
Michael Gomez Jr. Won TKO 3 Jordan Flynn
Alex Murphy Lost TKO 1 Josh Holmes
Nelson Birchall Won TKO 9 Ryan Griffiths
Aadam Hamed Won Pts 4 Michael Mooney
John Joe Carrigan Won TKO 3 Danny Costello
Itauma’s crunching KO kicked off the UK portion of a weekend filled with interest that sees Sebastian Fundora meet Keith Thurman in a Las Vegas world title showdown.
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