Solving the Itauma Problem
Hearn’s response was deliberate. He says he has two heavyweights who know how to “move with him.” Don’t outbox him or think more of him, but try with him. That language gives the game.
“I have to find heavyweights to fight with in the next three or four years, and I have two that I think will really fight with him,” said Hearn on talkSport Boxing.
The rise of Itauma is built on rapid destruction. Most of his opponents have rolled once tempo spikes and a clean left hand. When you build an answer, you start with strength and power. You’re looking for size, heavy hands, and someone who won’t panic when early shots come. That seems to be what Hearn is building.
Australian Olympian Teremoana Teremoana presented as a near-term option, with Hearn floating a six-to-twelve-month window. Teremoana has cleared his initial objections, but he has yet to perform under real pressure. His striking looks good on paper, however it doesn’t tell you how he reacts when the fight is uncomfortable.
Then there is the 18 year old Leo AtangHearn openly admits he needs time. He has ten fights in his career with four stoppages and a clear appearance, but he is still young at the stage where physical maturity changes everything. If Atang is to fight for the world title, Hearn has suggested that he will face Itauma.
That’s a bold statement to match, and it tells you who this entire conversation is built for.
It’s not Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua setting the tone in this age group, and neither is Oleksandr Usyk. The measuring stick for this new generation is 21-year-old Queensberry, a change you wouldn’t have predicted two years ago if you follow the way these cycles tend to go.
The danger in this strategy is obvious. Building a fighter around solving a single enemy can slow down progress, because if you’re training to survive a puncher, you may be neglecting other parts of his game. Itauma doesn’t just carry heavy loads. He’s quick to cover distance, set traps, and cut the ring in a way that forces mistakes.
If he continues to add patience and versatility, the fighter we see in 2026 could be very different from the one they are learning today.
Time is another matter. Itauma is fast approaching world class, Teremoana is penciled in for next year, and Atang is out. If Itauma reaches a contender position before either man can test himself against established operators, the theoretical similarity becomes difficult to sell as competition.
Right now, the balance is clear. Itauma means hurry, and others adjust their plans around him.
That’s not to say Hearn is wrong. Heavyweight boxing is changing fast, and one punch can rewrite a reputation. But until one of his prospects proves that he can handle the truth, the talk of “trying with him” remains a blueprint instead of proof.
Influence Outside the Topic
Itauma has already forced his rival promoter to design fights with him in mind. That’s influence before a world title, and in heavyweight boxing, that kind of pull is often championed.
Whether Matchroom’s anti-Itauma project poses a real threat is unknown. For now, it confirms something simple. Moses Itauma is no longer just a prospect for growth. You are the problem that others are trying to solve.
