The hype around Moses Itauma keeps building, and now Roy Jones Jr. has added his voice to it. Speaking about the fast-rising British heavyweight prospect, the former four-division world champion said Itauma is the most exciting big man he has seen since Mike Tyson, while warning that Oleksandr Usyk may be the worst possible style matchup for him.
That matters because the heavyweight division is badly in need of its next crossover force, and Itauma, still only 21, is starting to look like a serious candidate. Jones pointed to the same kind of sudden, destructive explosiveness that once made Tyson a nightmare. In his view, fighters who land first with that kind of speed and power usually end the night early, and that is the trait that makes Itauma so dangerous right now.
The Slovak-born prospect, who represents Great Britain, has moved to 14-0 with 12 knockouts as a pro, and his rise has drawn attention well beyond the U.K. For American fans, that Tyson comparison is naturally going to drive conversation, but the bigger question is whether Itauma can carry that style against elite heavyweights who can force him into deeper waters.
That is where Usyk enters the discussion. Jones said Itauma could trouble anyone in the division, but stopped short of declaring him unbeatable because he has not yet been tested against top-tier opposition or shown how he handles sustained return fire. Against Usyk, the challenge would be even sharper: footwork, angles, ring IQ, and the kind of championship composure that has already solved bigger and supposedly stronger opponents.
If Itauma keeps winning, a future clash with the unified champion would represent far more than a title shot. It would be a measuring stick for whether boxing’s newest heavyweight attraction is just a dangerous puncher or a complete fighter. Until then, the key thing to watch is how he looks once someone makes him think before he throws.