British heavyweight Moses Itauma announced himself on the big stage with a brutal first-round knockout of veteran Dillian Whyte in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The 20-year-old southpaw needed less than three minutes to dismantle the former world title challenger, sending him crashing to the canvas with a sharp right hook before the referee waved it off.
The win stretched Itauma’s unbeaten professional record to 13 fights, with 11 of those coming by stoppage.
“I will fight anyone they put in front of me,” Itauma said afterwards. But the rising star was quick to temper talk of a shot at unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, admitting: “I don’t believe I deserve the opportunity.”
Promoter Frank Warren hailed the youngster as “the most unbelievable finisher,” praising his composure and finishing instinct since turning professional in 2023.
For Whyte, 37, the loss marked a difficult return after nearly three years away from the ring, having last fought Tyson Fury in 2022.
The Riyadh card also featured Nick Ball’s successful defence of his WBA featherweight title with a unanimous points win over Sam Goodman, while heavyweight David Adeleye was beaten by Filip Hrgovic.
