Warren likens Itauma to Messi, Woods

Francis Warren, manager of unbeaten British-Nigerian heavyweight Moses Itauma, has likened his fighter to sporting greats Lionel Messi and Tiger Woods, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Warren declared that Itauma belongs among the rare breed of generational talents the sporting world produces only occasionally.

Warren, son of Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren, has managed Itauma since he turned professional in 2023 at 18. He first discovered the fighter four years earlier, when Itauma, then aged 14, was sparring a British champion at an event organised by boxing figure Al Smith.

Speaking on SunSport’s Corner Talk podcast, Warren recalled Smith’s invitation to watch the teenager train.

“He said, ‘Do you want to get yourself down here quickly? Come and have a look at this. This is quite special,’” Warren said.

“I sort of knew the name, but I had never met him before. I went in, and I did not expect him to be sparring, but he was sparring a British champion at the time, and he was only 14. It was not like a big, heavy spar, but he was having a move about, and he could really move. You could see the feet, the feints, the head. It is like watching poetry in motion, even at that age.”

Warren eventually signed Itauma to a scholarship contract with Queensberry Promotions two years later, and the fighter has since drawn comparisons to a prime Mike Tyson after compiling 14 wins, including 12 knockouts, without defeat.

Itauma meets Filip Hrgovic on Saturday at London’s O2 Arena for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title, and Warren warned that the Croatian is underestimating his opponent.

“Hrgovic is a dangerous, tough guy who thinks, from the interviews, he is fighting a 21-year-old kid who has not been there and done it,” Warren said.

“But unfortunately, he is running into somebody who I will brand as in the same vein as your Messis, your LeBrons, your Tiger Woodses. These phenomenal talents just come along every now and again. Moses is a potential generational great, even at 21.”

Should Itauma win, he would become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion in history, behind only Tyson, who was 20 when he claimed his first title in 1986.

Itauma, unbeaten in 14 professional contests, has admitted the build-up to the fight has begun to affect him, after being repeatedly labelled inexperienced by Hrgovic in the lead-up.

“I tell myself there is nothing that this Hrgovic guy can do to get in my head, but he is starting to wind me up,” Itauma said.