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WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev has expressed his ‘respect’ for Moses Itauma and teased that a future fight could be on the cards soon.
Gasiev is set to earn his 34th professional victory when he faces Tony Yoka in Moscow on July 11. A win would preserve his status as the mandatory challenger – behind Ajit Kabael – for a shot at super champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Although Etauma was ordered by the WBA to fight Gasiev earlier in the year, he instead chose to fight American Jermaine Franklin at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, against whom he scored a stunning fifth-round stoppage.
However, Gassiev remains open to a future clash with the British star, who will reportedly face Filip Horgevich in London this August.
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Andy Scott and Gary Logan debate who should face Moses Itauma after his devastating knockout win over Jermaine Franklin.
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Moses Itauma delivered a ‘beautiful’ knockout to stop Jermaine Franklin in the fifth round of their fight at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. X Image courtesy of @DAZN.
“(Itauma) is very young, he has a lot of time. Right now he just needs to enjoy, have fun in the gym, in training camp, fight,” Gasiv said. Sky Sports.
“He has a good future. Right now he’s on this path, I’m on that path.
“Maybe, at the end of the year or next year, we can fight, in the UK – or anywhere. But for me at the moment, my focus is Tony (Yoka).”
Murat Gashiev
While Gassiev is aware of Itauma’s youth, he doesn’t underestimate the British heavyweight’s ability in the ring, which has earned him a 14-0-0 record with 12 KOs after 14 career fights.
“He’s 21 – very young – but his style, he doesn’t fight like a kid,” Gasiev said. “He’s smart, he’s strong. He’s got a strong mentality. And you never know what’s going to happen in the ring.
“Right now, I’m watching him, and I can only say that I respect him, only good things about him, because he’s young.
“He doesn’t trash talk. He’s always respectful, doesn’t talk too much (about his opponents), just does his job.
“I see myself in the mirror (when I look at him), because I remember when I was 21 years old, I was the same – humble, calm, just training and trying to win my fights, trying to do the best in the ring.”
Siesta: Itauma is the future, but Gassiev is the present
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Murat Gashiev’s promoter Al Siesta is confident his fighter will defeat Moses Itauma and says he will unify the heavyweight division within the next two years.
Gassiev’s promoter Al Siesta, speaking on the Toe2Toe podcast:
“Murat Gashiev can cope with anyone.
“Forgive me for making a statement here, but I truly believe – in his current form and shape – he will unify the division.
“I believe he’s a serious contender to unify the division in the next two years. Maybe it’s Moses Itauma, it’s Daniel Dubois (who he’ll be fighting) — whoever it is, they’re going to be on a collision course with Gusev.
“We actually wanted to fight Itauma, but it didn’t work out. Hopefully we’ll get to it soon.
‘I believe Itauma is a great prospect, but – I don’t want to speak too much for Gasiv – he is present. See you soon.”
Watch MVPW-06 in Birmingham, headlined by Mikaela Mayer vs Chantelle Cameron and featuring Caroline Dubois, live on Sky Sports on August 29. Get Sky Sports or Boxing stream with no contract.
