Moses Itauma hopes a win over Dillian Whyte will springboard him to the very top
Usyk has achieved everything he can in boxing and should be remembered as one of the very best to do it
Lewis Watson 
Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Moses Itauma will enter the ring in what is the biggest night of his career.
It's only been a short journey so far for the 20-year-old, but one without a blemish, and he's a short-priced favourite with the betting sites to record another victory when he faces Dillian Whyte.
Free Bets boxing expert Lewis Watson looks forward to Saturday's bout.
Since turning professional in January 2023, the Slovakian-born Briton has amassed an unbeaten 12-0 record accompanied by 10 KOs and has fast become known as the next big thing in the heavyweight division.
His stock is rising rapidly, but now so will the levels — Dillian Whyte poses the biggest threat to Itauma so far by some considerable distance, with the former world heavyweight title contender returning to the ring off the back of three back-to-back victories.
"Dillian is a big name, good opposition," he told the Sky Sports Toe2Toe podcast. "It's for me to go in there and do the job. I've got to box to a game plan. If I box to the game plan, it shouldn't be a long night."
"This is my first headline show, it's in Saudi Arabia against Dillian Whyte and I'm only 20 years old," he said.
"Just having that comes with pressure, but I love a bit of pressure. I acknowledge it, but I don't feel it. I know it's there, but I don't let it sink in - only because it does me no favours. I'm ready to perform Saturday night."
If it is Itauma who has his hand raised on Saturday, then conversations will begin for him to challenge the undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk before he retires.
Usyk has won everything that there is to win in the sport, but at the age of 38 only has a few more fights left in him until retirement comes.
Would Itauma welcome the challenge of the Ukrainian?
"One day, inshallah," Itauma added. "I'm learning my Arabic since I've been out in Saudi!
"I think it will happen. I think Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel do deserve the opportunity to fight for those belts. But you don't get what you deserve nowadays, you get what you negotiate for.
"If I am able to beat Dillian Whyte in good fashion, and I'm already ranked No 1 with the WBO, so I do feel I'll be in a position to fight him."
The heavyweight division has been dominated by names like Usyk, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and others for the past decade now, all who are entering the final chapter of their careers.
So with Itauma quickly scaling the heavyweight mountain at such a young age, we could potentially be on the verge of a new period of domination from the new kid on the block.
Being likened to Mike Tyson has done wonders for Itauma's stock, but now is the time for him to put these words into action against a fighter who knows every trick in the book.
Stay ahead of every major fight this year with expert boxing betting tips from our in-house analyst, Lewis Watson, plus the latest and best UK betting offers to boost your odds
