Moses Itauma Admits Jermaine Franklin Could Expose "Question Marks" About Him

Thirteen fights into his career, Moses Itauma has done nothing but make it look easy. However, he believes his upcoming bout against Jermaine Franklin will push him to places he has never been before.

Itauma has already been billed by many as a future champion, but he knows there are still a lot of questions about him as a fighter. He believes that Franklin, a 26-fight veteran who has only lost to champions, has the best chance to expose the perceived holes in his game.

It is for those reasons that Itauma is as interested in the matchup as many skeptical fans.

"I actually think it might be my toughest fight," Itauma said via Ring Magazine. "The reason why I say that is because what he does very well, there's still question marks [about me]. Whereas with Whyte, there's a lot of things to exploit in his game. Demsey McKean, to be honest, although he went 12 rounds with Filip Hrgovic, I personally didn't think he was that great. But I actually do feel like Franklin's a solid fighter, so I'm ready for him."

Itauma has always been one of the most self-aware fighters in the game, with maturity far beyond that of a typical 21-year-old. He still does not view himself as a superstar despite amassing an international fan base before even fighting for the title.

Regardless, his admission is still an eye-opening take that is hardly seen in boxing. Itauma's self-diagnosing of his own potential weaknesses is particularly unique for an undefeated No. 1 contender who has barely even broken a sweat in the ring.

Moses Itauma to face Jermaine Franklin in upcoming main event

At the same time, Itauma is ready to silence doubters who question his cardio, chin, or durability. Itauma has not fought past the second round in nine consecutive fights entering his matchup with Franklin, who has never been stopped.

The biggest difference between Franklin and any of Itauma's recent opponents is his age. The 32-year-old Franklin is still well within his athletic prime years, unlike Dillian Whyte, Mariusz Wach and Demsey McKean, who all fought Itauma at the end of their careers.

While Franklin has a controversial loss to Whyte, who Itauma just demolished in August 2025, the '989 Assassin' heads into the Jan. 24 main event riding a three-fight win streak. Franklin's only other loss came against Anthony Joshua in April 2023. He is one of just four fighters to go the distance with Joshua.

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