UK heavyweight Moses Itauma, a teenager constantly linked to breaking Mike Tyson’s youngest champion record, injured his hand on Saturday night.
The young phenom moved to 3-0 as he went the distance for the first time in his career. However, he hurt his money-maker on the iron-chinned Ukrainian Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko’s head.
Despite the ailment, Itauma prevailed via a six-round unanimous decision, with the referee’s score reading 60-54.
Mike Tyson’s heavyweight record
Judging by comments after the fight, Tyson’s record will be a million miles from Itauma’s mind.
Also on the bill, Mikaela Mayer made heavy weather of late replacement Lucy Wildheart.
The former unified junior lightweight champion debuted at 135 pounds by defeating the Swedish contender unanimously.
The 32-year-old was initially scheduled to face Christina Linardatou. However, the former world champion was forced to withdraw after not meeting the British Boxing Board of Control requirements.
Wildheart, with only 24 hours’ notice, stepped up to the challenge.
Mayer dictated the pace by mixing sharp jabs to the head and body before unleashing short hooks on the inside. Wildheart, over three inches shorter than Mayer, had some success with her overhand right.
By round three, Mayer’s left eye showed signs of swelling. In the fourth and fifth rounds, Mayer stood her ground more and started to exchange on the inside, beginning her combinations with hooks to the body instead of a jab.
Mikaela Mayer wins WBC belt
Mayer captured the WBC interim lightweight title with 100-90, 98-91, and 98-92. She expressed her desire to become undisputed in her new weight class.
Mayer said, “She stepped in at the last minute, ” which was brave of her. It’s a big fight for her to jump in at 24 hours’ notice. But she was tough and durable. I see why she had the confidence to do that, so props to her.
“I like to fight on the inside. So once I knew she couldn’t outbox me, I took it to her a little bit and tried to break her down to the body.”
Mayer added who she wants next: ” I believe that Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are supposed to go for their rematch.
“Assuming that still happens, I will challenge the winner of that. So, it’s exciting for me.
“This is where I belong. I belong in big fights. I belong in world title fights. I’m in my prime. I feel great, and I want the most demanding challenges possible.
“Right now at 135, that’s Katie Taylor.”
Finally, in another TV bout, lightweight: Sam Noakes made it eleven stoppages from eleven with a second-round TKO against Karthik Sathish Kumar.
Noakes dropped Kumar once in the first round and again in the second before referee John Latham halted the fight at 1:17.
