Tyson Fury has named the one boxer he'd refuse to face(Image: Getty)

‘Britain’s Mike Tyson' who sparred with Tyson Fury is only man Gypsy King won’t fight

Tyson Fury has taken on all comers in his storied career - but the one man he doesn't want to face just so happens to have been dubbed Britain's answer to Mike Tyson

06 Oct 2024, 09:21 by Tom Sunderland · Wales Online

An up-and-coming fighter who has earned comparisons to Mike Tyson is only name Tyson Fury would rather not face.

Moses Itauma is a 19-year-old boxing gem rapidly rising through the heavyweight division since his professional debut in January 2023. The teenager has built an impressive 10-0 record since then and been dubbed 'Britain's Mike Tyson' due to his catastrophic stopping power at such a young age.

It is perhaps no surprise Itauma's knockout prowess has drawn comparisons to Iron Mike. And the ambitious up-and-comer told The Mirror of his goal to surpass Tyson's record and become the youngest world heavyweight champion after Tyson famously secured his first global title aged just 20 years and four months.

While many boxers claim to be open to any fight at any time, Fury is more discerning in his tastes and wouldn't take a date opposite Itauma. When asked by TNT Sports (via the Daily Express) if he would consider facing the prospect in future, the former world champ responded: "No, definitely not! Do you think I'm stupid? No, no no. . ."

This reluctance to face Itauma aligns with Fury's previous praise for the young boxer. After a sparring session with the young gun in July, Fury dubbed his fellow Brit "the future of the heavyweight division."

Itauma is currently riding a streak of six straight finishes and has only gone past the first round in two of those. His most recent victory came in July against Mariusz Wach, who once challenged Wladimir Klitschko for the unified heavyweight belts.

Moses Itauma is a 10-0 prospect who's been dubbed 'Britain's Mike Tyson'(Image: Getty)

A lot would have to transpire in the next six months for Itauma to make good on his dream of breaking Tyson's world title record. Due to turn 20 in December, it would give the talent until around April to claim his first belt, which seems all but impossible given he's yet to even fight at 12 rounds.

It also seems implausible given all the world titles are currently in the possession of Oleksandr Usyk, who beat Fury in May to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. That duo are set to rematch in December, with the potential for a trilogy showdown after that if Fury wins the second act.

While his hope of cracking Tyson's milestone may go unfulfilled, it's still easy to see why Fury would rather not take a chance on Itauma. The fight makes little sense now given the pair are at opposite ends of their careers at present, but Fury's praise for the powerhouse also hints he's fully aware of Itauma's threat level.