2020 Olympic Silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. says he’s interested in fighting heavyweight contender Moses Itauma next. Torrez Jr. (13-0, 11 KOs) is unafraid of fighting Itauma (13-0, 11 KOs) and would be willing to face him in the UK.
The American Heavyweights’ Challenge
Itauma’s promoters at Queensberry would have to give the green light to a fight against Torrez Jr. because it’s a giant step up in class from the older heavyweights that they’ve repeatedly matched him against since he turned professional in 2019.
They’ve got a good formula going with their selection of older fighters, including 37-year-old Dillian Whyte, 41-year-old Mike Balogun, 40-year-old Dan Garber, and 45-year-old Mariusz Wach. Matching Itauma against Richard Torrez Jr. might mess up all the hard work they’ve put in making him look like pure gold.
Torrez Jr, 26, told BoxingScene that Itauma is among three British heavyweights that he’s interested in fighting. The other two are:
Fabio Wardley
Johnny Fisher
Torrez Jr. may have to scratch Wardley off his list if he’s beaten by Joseph Parker next month in their clash on October 25. That could end badly for Fabio, making him useless for Torrez Jr. to fight until he rebuilds his career.
The Blueprint for Defeating Itauma
Torrez Jr’s fighting style is the closest thing that comes to Greece’s Stylianos Roulias. That’s a fighter who gave Moses Itauma massive problems in the IBA World Youth Championships Semi-Final on November 23, 2022
Roulias used his relentless pressure, hard punching, and fearless style to put Itauma on the defensive for the entire fight. He had Moses looking afraid, and nothing like the way he’s appeared since turning pro.
Again, Itauma has been matched against old guys as a pro, which explains why he’s looked great. His fight against Roulias may be the true example of Itauma’s actual ability.
Torrez Jr. is ranked #6 IBF, #11 WBC, and #13 WBO. He’s wiped out almost everyone he’s faced. His recent wins have come against these fighters:
Guido Vianello: UD 10
Issac Munoz Gutierrez: TKO 3
Joey Dawejko: DQ 5
Brandon Moore: TKO 5
