Undefeated heavyweight champion, Moses Itauma, has revealed his ambition to stage a title fight in Nigeria, his father’s homeland.
The 20-year-old, who was born in Slovakia to a Nigerian father and raised in Kent, England, returned to Nigeria for the first time since childhood and said the warm embrace he received has strengthened his desire to fight on home soil.
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Speaking in Lagos during the “Chaos in the Ring” boxing event at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on October 1, Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary. The event is being staged by Balmoral Group Promotions in collaboration with AK Promotions.
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Itauma described fighting in Nigeria as his “ultimate goal.”
“Of course I want to box here, that’s the end goal,” Itauma said during his visit.
“When I look at people in Nigeria, I know these are my people with the way they embrace me. It’s one of those things that has been talked about for a long time but never executed. Now I think we are coming close to making it happen.”
Itauma last visited Nigeria 15 years ago as a child and described his return as a deeply emotional moment.
“It’s my first time back for over 15 years. Last time I was here, I was far too young to remember. To see it through a man’s eyes is amazing,” he said.
Widely tipped as a future world champion, Itauma has surged to a 13-0 professional record with 11 knockouts. His latest win came in August when he stopped former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in under two minutes in Riyadh.
He added that the pride and support shown by Nigerians during his visit have fueled his determination to bring a major fight to Africa’s most populous country.
“Someone asked me off the plane about my belts and said they were proud of me. They said I’m Nigerian and doing well, so they’re proud of me.
It’s kind of hard to turn down people like that,” Itauma said.
With his stock rapidly rising, Itauma’s dream of fighting in Nigeria may soon become a reality, a moment that would not only cement his connection to his roots but also re
