West Ham Online

20 year old kid is the real deal, Whyte is washed up but the rest of the top heavyweights won’t fancy taking him on

He absolutely battered Whyte. I don’t think I’ve seen a young heavyweight this good since Tyson.

Whyte may be well passed his best, but he’s no mug. Itauma wasn’t just throwing haymakers at him. He was taking his time and picking his shots.

As he steps up in class, he will have much tougher fights. He will need to be able to go the distance and box clever. He will need to soak up punches. He will need to keep his head together outside the ring. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.

All the best fighters come out of Chatham. We're all handsome, too.

Itauma does look the real deal but, let's be honest, he hasn't yet fought anyone with serious pedigree. However, having said that, who he has fought he has dispatched with clinical ruthlessness. 

The Dylian Whyte fight was a no lose for Mitauma. If he dispatched him early, which he did, then it would be the fight that really starts to get people to sit up and take notice. If he went mid-way Mitauma could say Whyte had pedigree and if it went the distance Mitauma could show the world he has the legs and stamina to do so. But he was never going to lose to Whyte which was why it was a good fight for him and Whyte was basically used as fodder for Mitaume to showcase his skills to a bigger audience. 

Itauma now needs to get in with Parker. And of he dispatches Parker then he could actually be the next boxing superstar. Agit Kabayuel is also there or thereabouts. May be that the winner fights Usyk? Interesting. 

I watched a clip of his fight and the youngster overwhelmed Whyte who was wide open to decent, accurate fast punches. Did not learn much about Itauma but surely that bout was Whyte’s last big payday.

Itauma needs to get in the ring with kiwi Parker for us to find out what he’s about. Not a lot to gain for him being lined up with chinnypugs like Joshua, Chisora etc.