JAKARTA - Undisputed former world champion Lennox Lewis has urged young boxer Moses Itauma not to rush into challenging Oleksandr Usyk, who is currently the king of the heavyweight division.
Lewis admitted that Itauma has an incredible capital, but still needs maturity before deciding to rise to the elite level against big names.
"My point is that there will be a time when he has to make a move to the elite level, but that time is not now. He still has a lot of time. So, he has to be calm. There is no need to rush at all," he said as quoted from iFL TV.
Itauma is one of the brightest potential talents currently owned by England. He is predicted to be able to match the achievements made by his predecessors, such as Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Many parties predict that the fighter, who is currently 21 years old, is able to capture the world championship title this year. However, Lewis believes that taking care of Usyk in the near future could be a premature step and risk damaging his brilliant career.
"If I were him, I would wait until Oleksandr Usyk retires and then show that 'I am the current heavyweight ruler'. The decision to face Usyk now is too early," he said.
The duel between Usyk as the current king against Itauma as the successor candidate is a dream match that many boxing fans are waiting for.
Promoter Frank Warren is said to have drawn up a roadmap after the hot prospect recorded an impressive victory over Jermaine Franklin last month.
Itauma is scheduled to return to the ring in July 2026 before the world title challenge at the end of this year. Most likely he will aim for Murat Gassiev's regular world champion belt which is considered more realistic than directly targeting Usyk.
On the other hand, Usyk is preparing to defend his WBC world champion belt against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven. The big duel is scheduled to take place under the majestic Giza Pyramids, Egypt, next month.
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