Moses Itauma is set for the biggest fight of his promising young career on August 16, when he faces hard-punching veteran Dillian Whyte in a heavyweight showdown from Riyadh.

Itauma (12-0, 10 KO) promoter Frank Warren believes in his rising star, but does know that it’s a real step up in class for the 20-year-old.

“It’s a big jump. Dillian’s not an idiot, he fancies the fight. This is a big jump for (Itauma). He’s done everything up to now that’s been asked of him, but there is that question mark about what happens if he goes into the later rounds?

“He has gone the distance once, but I’m talking about with somebody who doesn’t fiddle around, somebody who actually would like to get into the later rounds and is capable of knocking people over. (Whyte’s) a puncher, you’ve seen him do it, he’s done it with world class fighters.”

Whyte (31-3, 21 KO) is 37 years old now and hasn’t been all that active in recent years, sitting out all of 2023 before fighting Christian Hammer and Ebenezer Tetteh in 2024, neither fight proving to be much challenge for the former title challenger.

Itauma could be Whyte’s ticket back into world title contention, and Whyte will definitely have that in mind. And as Warren says, Itauma just hasn’t been tested against someone this experienced or dangerous just yet, and it’s a test that does have to be passed for the youngster.