Rising boxing heavyweight star set to land world title fight

World title fight ordered for Moses Itauma, Kubrat Pulev

The World Boxing Association (WBA) has officially ordered a world heavyweight title bout between Itauma and experienced Bulgarian contender Kubrat Pulev. 

Both camps have been given 30 days to negotiate terms, paving the way for Itauma’s first shot at global glory and a defining moment in his young career.

For Itauma, this represents a significant step up in competition. Pulev, 44, is a vastly experienced fighter who has twice challenged for world titles, facing Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 and Anthony Joshua in 2020. 

Although he fell short on both occasions, he remains a durable, technically skilled heavyweight who has shared the ring with some of the sport’s biggest names. 

In December 2024, Pulev claimed the regular version of the WBA belt with a unanimous decision win over Mahmoud Charr, reaffirming his place among the division’s elite.

Itauma’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. With his crisp southpaw jab, natural timing and explosive combinations, he has already earned a reputation as a generational talent. Those around him describe a fighter who trains and thinks like a veteran, meticulous and entirely focused on his path to the top.

If the fight with Pulev is finalized, it will be a crucial test not only of Itauma’s skill but also of his composure on boxing’s biggest stage. A win would elevate him from promising prospect to bona fide world champion and, potentially, one of the youngest ever to achieve that feat. 

For a division always searching for its next great attraction, Moses Itauma may well be the one to carry it forward.