The winners of the separate, upcoming heavyweight fights between Moses Itauma and Jermaine Franklin, together with Richard Torrez Jr. and Frank Sanchez, appear on a collision course with one another, before they ultimately proceed to challenge for a version of the boxing world championship.
That’s according to manager Francis Warren, who represents Itauma — the fast-rising British prospect who has transitioned to a bona fide contender at just 21 years old.
Southpaw Itauma returns to the ring March 28 against Franklin at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester in a 10-rounder he’s expected to win, with Torrez and Sanchez initially booked to box one another on the same night but in Las Vegas, on the Sebastian Fundora vs Keith Thurman undercard.
Sanchez, though, recently withdrew from the contest and the fight is yet to find a new date.
Regardless, both fights could be unofficial semifinals with the winners facing-off for a shot at the champ, Warren told talkSPORT recently.
“We will continue to plan and match Moses to continue his preparation,” Warren said, days away from the Franklin fight.
“He’s going to be headlining [events] from now on, so there are no more learning fights, but there are definitely world title preparation fights for the title he should have by the end of the year.”
Warren said a fight between Itauma and Wardley is likely a non-option considering top tier British coach Ben Davison trains both fighters, and so the WBA, WBC, and IBF pathways to world championship status are more probable.
The IBF’s determination to have Sanchez vs Torrez as a final eliminator is something Warren wants to petition, considering it saw his fighter drop down the rankings. “One of the guys pulled out with an injury,” said Warren of that match-up, “so that has been delayed until the summer.”
Warren said he’d attend the IBF convention from May 24 to May 28 in Vietnam, campaigning for Itauma to fight “the winner of that fight.”
But, one thing’s clear, he said. “Moses would step up and fight anyone if you asked him … it is just a case of making sure it is the right fight at this time.
“He is still young, so we are taking it fight by fight,” the manager finished.
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