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Heavyweight KO artist accepted bout with Moses Itauma before Dillian Whyte fight was confirmed

Originally posted on Bloody Knockout | By Donal Long | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 6:24 PM ET

Moses Itauma has proved himself to be one of the heavyweight division’s brightest stars as the 20-year-old has been nothing short of perfect in his career.

Now with a record of 12-0, Itauma’s knockout win over Mike Balogun added to his star power in another impressive performance.

In his next outing, Itauma will take on heavyweight veteran Dillian Whyte. The pair will meet on August 16th in a main event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

However, there was seemingly no lack of options for Itauma, as another heavyweight accepted to fight the youngster.

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Martin Bakole supposedly accepted a fight with Moses Itauma

It appears as if Whyte was not the only fighter who was considered for Itauma’s next fight. As the prospect is aiming to move up the division, another notable name received an offer for Itauma.

In a recent interview with Pro Boxing Fans, trainer of Martin Bakole Billy Nelson revealed that they accepted a fight with Itauma.

“We were offered that fight in August, and we said yes,” explained Nelson. “They went and got Dillian Whyte, so that tells you how much they really want it.”

As Bakole will not be able to bounce back from his draw with Efe Ajagba in May against Itauma, a new opponent is needed for the Congolese fighter.

However, Nelson reveals there is no current opponent for his athlete. The coach did say that he expects Bakole to return before the end of the year, in what would be his third fight in 2025.

Bakole’s loss to Joseph Parker in February means the contender is winless in 2025 so far.

Billy Nelson slams potential Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul fight

Speaking on Anthony Joshua, who was once targeted by Bakole for a bout, Nelson had strong words regarding a potential fight between ‘AJ’ and Jake Paul.

Nelson’s initial reaction when asked for his thoughts on the fight was, “Joke. It’s just money, isn’t it? It’s just for money.”

In terms of a prediction for the fight, the coach of Bakole sees the fight only going in one direction. “He’ll [Paul] get absolutely pulverized by big Joshua. Pulverized.”

The fight is currently not confirmed between the former heavyweight champion and the internet star, however, Eddie Hearn has said Joshua may wait until 2026 to fight Paul.

This article first appeared on Bloody Knockout and was syndicated with permission.

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