Moses Itauma, the British teenage sensation, has never tasted defeat as a professional or an amateur. Considered one of the most exciting prospects among the next generation of heavyweight stars, Itauma boasts an impressive undefeated record of 24-0 as an amateur and 9-0 in the professional ranks.

In his amateur days, Itauma secured gold medals at the national youth (twice), European youth (twice), and World Youth Championships. However, the journey hasn’t always been smooth. In a candid conversation with Sam Matterface, Alex Crook, and Darragh MacAnthony on talkSPORT, Itauma admitted to being dropped twice in sparring.

“I have in sparring, twice actually. I’m not ashamed of it. It happens,” Itauma said. “Once when I was 13/14 and once when I was 16. I feel like I needed it, especially the last time I’ve been put on my ass. I was getting too big-headed. I was a two-time European gold medallist, a two-time national champion. I thought I didn’t need to train.”

Itauma recounted a particularly humbling experience: “I was supposed to spar Joe Joyce, and he never turned up. The guy I was meant to be sparring didn’t look that good on the pads, so I thought I’d blast him out. In the first round, I got a shock. Then we had a little ding dong, and things escalated quickly.”

Despite these setbacks, Itauma’s explosive style has earned him the nickname “Britain’s Mike Tyson” by the national press. Tyson Fury has also backed him to rise to the top of the heavyweight division.

Itauma faces a significant challenge this weekend against Mariusz Wach on the Joe Joyce vs. Derek Chisora undercard. The durable Polish veteran, who took Wladimir Klitschko the distance in 2012, presents a stern test for the young prospect. At 44, Wach’s best days are behind him, but Itauma will need to deliver an impressive performance to continue his ascent in the heavyweight ranks.

As Itauma prepares for this crucial bout, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see if he can live up to the high expectations and solidify his status as Britain’s next great heavyweight