MOSES ITAUMA – remember the name.
The wonder boy cancelled his own 18th birthday on Thursday to get a head start on topping the Baddest Man on the Planet and becoming history’s youngest heavyweight world champion.
Moses Itauma believes he can fight for the world title by 2025
All-time great Mike Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champ from 1987 to 1990
The prodigious heavyweight – a three-time European and now World youth champion – chose instead to train alongside light-heavyweight brother Karol, 22.
So SunSport and Francis Warren of Champion Sports Management, who guide the pair, visited with balloons and bunting.
The giant southpaw groaned as he entered trainer Dan Woledge’s Ropes and Glory Chatham gym to the fanfare, where he wants to be far more focused on breaking Mike Tyson’s record of 20 years, four months and 22 days.
But he warmed up when that milestone was mentioned, he told us: “Me and my brother have talked about me breaking that record and just looking at the dates and the maths, it is very doable.
“Karol told me ‘if anyone can do it then you can’ and I believe I can do it.
“The current world champions now are in their thirties and the ones that are coming up, supposedly to replace them, I reckon I can do all of them.”
Tyson Fury, 34, holds the WBC crown and is expected to share an undisputed decider with WBA, IBF and WBO king Oleksandr Usyk, who turns 36 this month (JAN 17) in the Spring.
Mandatory challengers, former champions and established contenders like Joe Joyce, Daniel Dubois, Filip Hrgovic, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz will then fight for the titles.
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So Itauma, raised in Kent by his Solavkian mum and Nigerian dad, knows exactly the time frame he has to shatter one of Tyson’s most incredible feats.
Already showing plenty of boxing maturity, he said: “It’s not easy to get a world title shot, I can only get in there and fight, so I will not get angry at the things I cannot control.
“20th May, 2025 is the day to do it by and it sounds miles away but it will come around quickly.
“Physically I am still a boy compared to the lot ahead of me so I am working on growing into being a man. I think I will be alright.”
A cruel childhood and the genius of trainer Cus D’Amato turned Mike Tyson from bullied Brooklyn pigeon fancier to undisputed icon and multi-millionaire before he could ever understand it.
Moses is carved out of a different sized stone but has also sacrificed his childhood to become a boxing behemoth.
“I never really celebrated a birthday since I was about 15,” he said with a baritone voice Barry White would have been proud of.
“I was a very big kid, by 14 I was probably about 6ft 4in tall and 17st. I have always felt like an adult since then.
“I haven’t grown too much physically but now I feel like I am maturing, mentality, into being a man.”
Despite his freakish frame, Moses hated bullying and was often the last line of defence at school.
“I was the justice system,” he said. “There were times when I had to bully the bullies because I hated seeing that stuff. I never liked seeing anyone being picked on.”
Big brother Karol led his sibling into their childhood St Mary’s ABC gym when he was 14 and Moses was nine.
At 9-0 in the pro ranks at a veteran of heavyweight undercards featuring the likes of Dubois and Joyce, he might be concerned about his not-so-little bro.
“I haven’t had to protect him since he was about 13,” he laughed.
“There’s no trepidation from me, even as his big brother.
“If anyone is going to beat Mike Tyson’s record it is going to be my brother.
“I know how he ticks inside and at times it is crazy to be a part of it and to witness it unfold.
“I really think he is going to do it, I genuinely think he is the only person standing in the way of himself.
“I am just excited to see it all unfold, people will take notice of the debut and then they will start to recognise this talent that we have been watching grow into the man he has become.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Boxing?
Boxing involves two people trying to knock each others out with punches in the face and head. The objective of boxing involves hitting your opponent as hard, but not causing any injury. To achieve this, both boxers should be able to throw punches with high velocity. They must also be able to coordinate their hand-eye movements.
How can a beginner get started in boxing?
Boxing is one of the oldest sports known to man. Boxing was originally developed during ancient times to train warriors to fight against enemies. Boxing is still a popular sport all over the globe. Boxing does not require that you go to a gym. All you need is a pair of gloves, some punching bags, and a few friends to spar with.
Amateur boxing clubs in your area can be joined and trained by professional coaches. Once you’ve mastered basic punches and combinations, you’ll be ready to compete in tournaments.
What’s the difference between a left cross and a left hook?
A left hook is thrown from the side of the body while a right cross is thrown from the front of the body.
A left hand hook is one that is thrown with the opponent’s right side facing. The elbow is bent 90°. The wrist is turned 45° toward opponent.
A right cross can be thrown with the palm facing towards the opponent’s face, and the elbow straight. The wrist is turned 45 degrees away from the opponent.
Can you train yourself to box?
Yes, you can train yourself to box. It is easy to find a gym that offers boxing classes in your area and then join one. You will find most gyms offering free classes. However, if there isn’t one near you, you can always search Google for local boxes clubs.
Also, equipment like gloves and mouthpieces, headgear, as well as sparring partners will be required. Once you have everything you need, you can practice your kicks and punches.
How long does it take you to learn boxing
Boxing takes 3 months to learn. This includes learning the basics, such as footwork, stance, and balance. It’s important that you remember that boxing doesn’t only involve throwing punches. You also need to learn how to block and dodge attacks.
How to protect yourself
Always defend your head when you’re being attacked. Your goal is to avoid getting punched in the first place. You need to be able to block an incoming punch in order to avoid getting punched. Here’s what you need to do:
- Keep your shoulders square and tall.
- Keep your elbows in line with your sides.
- Block the incoming punch with your forearm.
- Counterattack immediately.
- Keep blocking until the attacker flees.
- Don’t give up on your defense.
Statistics
- You want to be running at roughly 75-80% of your top speed..5 mile slow, easy recovery jog at the end.[6]X Research source 2Mix in long runs, shadow boxing, and short sprints on non-interval days. (wikihow.com)
- It is just like normal sparring with a partner, but you want to throw punches at 75% of your normal speed. (wikihow.com)
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How To
These are the basics of boxing
How to box effectively
Boxing is one the most well-known sports in the world. It is a fight between two opponents. Different countries have different rules. There are three types: Amateur, Professional, or Olympic boxing.
Amateur boxing may be done at school, college, and university. This type of boxing includes sparring sessions with padded gloves and without any protection. Amateur boxing competitions usually last three rounds and last five minutes each. There are many types of amateur boxing: Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Taekwondo.
Boxing is often practiced in gyms or clubs. They have protective equipment such as mouthpieces. Professional boxing competitions have six rounds that last four minutes each. There are many types of professional boxing. These include Boxing (MMA), Kickboxing (Mixed Martial Arts), Muay Thai and Taekwondo.
Olympic boxing takes place at the Olympics. International standards dictate that boxers must wear protective gear. The competition lasts approximately three minutes for each round. Olympic boxing is limited to two styles: Light Flyweight and Heavyweight.
Boxing’s fundamental skills are:
- Punching techniques
- Guarding techniques
- Footwork
- Stance
- Move your body
- Defense
- Combination
- Rotation
- Sparring
Punching Techniques
There are seven types: Left Hook (right hook), Right Hook (uppercut), Cross (cross), Straight, Overhand, Underhand. Each punch has its own technique. Some punches require more force than others. A strong uppercut for example requires a lot of force. A straight punch on the other side requires less power, but is more effective than other punches.
There are also various punching combinations. These are combinations which combine several punches in order to achieve a specific goal. A combination may have multiple parts. For example, a combination of a left and right hook will result in damage to the opponent’s jaw.
Guard Techniques
A boxer uses his body to protect himself against attacks. He does this by using his legs.
Legs
A boxer must use his legs to defend against kicks. He raises his leg when he is hit with a kick and then moves away from the opponent. To avoid being kicked on the sides, he bends at his knees when the attacker strikes from the front. If the attack comes from behind, however, he can stand straight up and block the kick by his foot.
Elbows
Because they cause great pain, elbow strikes are extremely effective. You can either deliver an elbow strike directly, or indirectly. Directly means you hit your opponent directly with your forearm. While indirectly, it means you hit him with another section of your arm.
Hands
Boxers use both their hands and arms to prevent incoming blows. Boxers raise their fists to block incoming blows and then move in the direction of the attacker’s attack. Then they make contact with the attacker’s fist.
Knees
A boxer should bend his knees in order to absorb any blows to his stomach, abdomen, chest or stomach. A lot of boxers use knee strikes to defend themselves.
Feet
A boxer should take control of an attack and respond with counter-attacks. This way, he can gain distance between himself and his opponent. A boxer must also maintain his balance when responding to an opponent’s counter-attack.
Stances
A boxer must have a stance in order to be effective at boxing. The way he defends himself will be determined by his stance. It determines where he will face his opponent and how he will position his body. Boxers can take many different stances. Here are some of the more popular ones:
- Low stance
- High stance
- Southpaw stance
- Western stance
Body Movement
Boxers must maneuver around their opponent to win fights. This involves changing positions, speed, rhythm and timing.
Rotation
When a boxer throws a punch, he rotates in order to increase the reach of his arm. You can rotate at different speeds depending upon the punch.
Combinations
The timing of each individual punch affects the effectiveness or failure of a combination. A combination is good if it starts with a strong punch then ends with a weaker one.
Spares
Sparring is a practice session designed to improve boxing skills . During sparring sessions, a boxer trains his mind as well as his body. Sparring, in conclusion, is about learning how to fight and not getting hurt.
You need to have patience and dedication in order to learn how boxing works. Boxing is a sport that requires dedication and perseverance.
