The heavyweight boxing world has a new name to fear. Moses Itauma, just 21 years old and now 14-0 with 12 knockouts, delivered one of the most dominant performances of his young career on Saturday night at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena — stopping Jermaine Franklin in the fifth round to become the first fighter in history to knock out the durable American veteran.
Franklin, who had previously gone the full distance against both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte on British soil, was supposed to be a stern test for the rising phenom. Instead, the fight served as yet another showcase of just how far ahead of his peers Itauma already is.
The fight that silenced any remaining doubt
From the opening bell, Itauma was in control. His speed and southpaw footwork kept Franklin constantly off balance, and his left hand was a constant threat throughout the early rounds. Franklin — tough, experienced, and battle-hardened — absorbed punishment and fired back, even landing some shots that clipped Itauma in the first two rounds. But it was never truly close.
The turning point arrived in round three, when he dropped Franklin with a sharp right hand, sending him to the canvas for the first time in the fight. Franklin showed his toughness by beating the count and surviving the round, but the trajectory of the fight was already written.
By the fifth round, he closed the show spectacularly — a punishing left uppercut followed by a right hand that sent Franklin crashing face-first to the canvas. The crowd at Co-op Live Arena erupted, and Itauma had his statement win.
What makes this knockout historic
This result carries serious weight beyond just the scorecards
- Franklin had never been stopped in 27 professional fights before Saturday night — not by Joshua, not by Whyte, not by anyone
- Itauma is now 14-0 with 12 KOs — an extraordinary record for a 21-year-old competing at heavyweight
- Nine of his last knockouts came inside two rounds — Franklin making it to round five was genuinely considered an achievement for the American
- Itauma holds WBA International and WBO Intercontinental titles and is currently ranked No. 1 by both the WBO and WBA, and No. 3 by the WBC
The world title conversation is no longer optional
Promoter Frank Warren made it clear after the fight that Itauma is now knocking on the door of a world title shot. The unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk holds the WBC, IBF, and WBA belts and is set to fight Rico Verhoeven in May. After that bout, Usyk faces a mandatory WBC defense — and if he declines, he risks being stripped of that belt entirely, which would open a significant door for Itauma.
Warren told DAZN that the pathway to a world title fight is becoming increasingly clear, and Itauma himself described Franklin as the final piece of the puzzle before stepping into a championship bout. The hunger is real, and Saturday night proved the skills match the ambition.
A star built for this moment
What separates Itauma from most prospects at his stage is the composure he carries into every fight. When Franklin survived the early rounds and the quick knockout did not come, he did not panic — he regrouped, went back to basics, and let the knockout find him naturally. That kind of mental discipline at 21 is rare in any sport, let alone one as brutally unforgiving as heavyweight boxing.
Manchester has a special place in his story too. He said after the fight that the city is where he won his first national title years ago — returning there to deliver the biggest win of his professional career felt fitting.
The heavyweight division has been put on notice. Itauma is not waiting his turn — he is taking it.
