Rising heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma has hinted his ruthless gameplan for Dillian Whyte could deliver yet another explosive early knockout in Saudi Arabia.
Itauma faces the sternest test of his career as he headlines against former world title challenger Whyte this Saturday.
The 20-year-old prodigy enters the ring with a perfect record of 12 wins, 10 of them knockouts inside two rounds, and arrives in Riyadh off the back of an eight-fight knockout streak.
Itauma plans to make Whyte - who has fought the likes of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua - the highest-profile addition to his growing list of victims.
"Dillian is a big name, good opposition," he told the Toe2Toe podcast. "It's for me to go in there and do the job. I've got to box to a game plan. If I box to the game plan, it shouldn't be a long night."
The bout marks Itauma's first time headlining a major show but he's undaunted by the occasion and is instead relishing the occasion and the step up in quality.
"This is my first headline show, it's in Saudi Arabia against Dillian Whyte and I'm only 20 years old," he said.
"Just having that comes with pressure, but I love a bit of pressure. I acknowledge it, but I don't feel it. I know it's there, but I don't let it sink in - only because it does me no favours. I'm ready to perform Saturday night."
Usyk next?
The ruthless manner in which Itauma has dismantled every opponent so far has sparked calls for him to be fast-tracked into the world title conversation.
Already ranked first by the WBO, a dominant win over Whyte would only intensify talk of a showdown with undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
"One day, inshallah," Itauma added. "I'm learning my Arabic since I've been out in Saudi!
"I think it will happen. I think Joseph Parker and Agit Kabayel do deserve the opportunity to fight for those belts. But you don't get what you deserve nowadays, you get what you negotiate for.
"If I am able to beat Dillian Whyte in good fashion, and I'm already ranked No 1 with the WBO, so I do feel I'll be in a position to fight him."
