Itauma, a 20-year-old rising star, has made waves in the heavyweight division. He's undefeated in 12 fights, with 10 knockouts to his name. His recent wins include a first-round knockout of Demsey McKean in December 2024 and a second-round stoppage of Mike Balogun in May 2025.
Whyte, a seasoned veteran, is looking to get back on track after a period of inactivity. He failed a drug test but was cleared to fight when it was found to be due to a contaminated supplement. Since then, he's picked up wins against Christian Hammer in March 2024 and stopped Ebenezer Tetteh in the seventh round. A planned fight with Joe Joyce in early 2025 fell through due to injury.
Eddie Hearn shared his thoughts on the matchup with The Stomping Ground YouTube channel:
"Good fight, great fight. I like it. The money is obviously fantastic, [Dillian] is at the end of his career. And I'm not saying he's taking it just for the money, but Dillian is a game man, I'm sure he will think he will win that fight."
Hearn praised the matchmaking but expressed concerns about Whyte's recent lack of activity:
"But it's tremendous matchmaking, and another huge night in Riyadh. It's just [lack of] activity. Dillian is a great heavyweight, very tough. Good luck to him. It's not an easy fight. I think style-wise, and with Dillian's activity, it's a nightmare."
Whyte's experience against top heavyweights like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury could prove valuable. However, Itauma's youth and recent form make this an intriguing matchup.
The fight was first reported by talkSPORT, adding to the growing list of big boxing events in Saudi Arabia. Fans can look forward to an exciting clash between youth and experience when these two heavyweights step into the ring.