EXCLUSIVE: Moses Itauma says Bet9ja collaboration driven by cultural heritage
Nigerian heritage heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma says his partnership with Bet9ja marks the beginning of a personal journey to reconnect with his heritage while laying the foundation for grassroots boxing in the country.
Speaking exclusively to Made in Africa Sport in Lagos, Itauma explained that his collaboration with Bet9ja went beyond branding, describing it as an opportunity to rediscover his identity and invest in the next generation of Nigerian athletes.
“One of the main reasons why I chose to collaborate with Bet9ja is because growing up in Slovakia and the UK, I never really had that relationship with Nigeria,” he said. “When this came along, I felt it was a good time to discover my roots. This is a good time to discover my heritage. One of the main reasons for me was one hundred per cent to discover the roots, but not only that, to talk about setting up charities and helping to unlock the potential in young Nigerian athletes.”
The 20-year-old, who has risen rapidly through the heavyweight ranks, has already collected the Commonwealth, WBO Intercontinental and WBA International titles. Yet, he insists his journey towards the ultimate prize – the heavyweight world title – must come in its own time.
“I want to be champion as young as possible, but in my mind, something tells me that wasn’t in my plan,” Itauma admitted. “I feel like God was like, ‘You can’t handle that yet,’ because although there is a fighting bit, there’s all this extra stuff outside the ring – the media, the faces you’re going to have to talk to. I feel like God has put me in little challenges for me to learn from. I want to be heavyweight champion in the near future, but I didn’t beat Mike Tyson’s record, so there’s no rush any more.”
Tyson remains the youngest man to capture the heavyweight crown at 20 years and four months in 1986. Itauma, who turned professional in 2023, says his focus now is longevity, with an eye on the record for the longest-reigning champion.
“I think it’s 11 years – that’s long, I don’t know,” he said with a smile. “I remember seeing a picture of the top six youngest heavyweight champions in the world – Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, and all the way down to number six, who was George Foreman at 24. I thought, I can probably become a world champion in those four years, and it will put me among those names, which is a big blessing.”
For Itauma, time is still on his side. “Boxing spans maybe 15 to 20 years. I’m only 20 years old. I turned professional two years ago, so I still have a lot of time. One day, I’ll get the belt, and I’ll come back to Nigeria and celebrate here,” he promised.
Born in Kežmarok, Slovakia, to a Nigerian father and Slovak mother, Itauma endured racism growing up before his family relocated to England in search of better opportunities. He was the last of his siblings to join them, settling in Chatham, Kent, in 2008. The younger brother of light-heavyweight contender Karol Itauma, he has made his own mark, racking up an unbeaten record and gaining a reputation as one of boxing’s brightest prospects.
In 2024, he won the vacant WBO Intercontinental title with a second-round stoppage of Ilja Mezencev in Saudi Arabia on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s first meeting with Oleksandr Usyk. He retained the belt in July with another second-round knockout of Mariusz Wach in London before stopping Demsey McKean in Riyadh that December. His momentum carried into 2025 with knockout victories over Mike Balogun in Glasgow and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in Saudi Arabia.
The Akwa Ibom native was named The Ring’s 2024 Prospect of the Year and is now being tipped as the future of the heavyweight division. Yet, while the global spotlight intensifies, Itauma insists Nigeria will remain central to his journey.
“This is more than boxing,” he said. “It’s about giving back, creating opportunities and inspiring the next generation.”
