Moses Itauma’s vicious knockout win over Dillian Whyte looks even more brutal from ringside.
It took the precocious 20-year-old just 119 seconds to dispatch his adversary on Saturday night in a statement-making Saudi showcase.
Itauma entered the fight as a heavy favourite, but few expected him to deal with Whyte as easily as he did.
The Chatham southpaw had Whyte in trouble early doors after a left hook glanced off the top of the rugged veteran’s head.
Sensing his moment, Itauma closed in and landed a flurry of heavy shots to send Whyte tumbling to the canvas.
The brave Brit attempted to get back to his feet, but as he did, he fell into the corner post, leaving the referee with no choice but to wave off the contest.
The entire finishing sequence was captured in unflinching detail by ringside footage recorded by DAZN’s social media team.
In the 44-second clip, you can hear every thudding shot land as Whyte is blasted away.
It remains to be seen where Whyte goes from here, but for Itauma, the path is a little clearer.
Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh wants to see the youngster lock horns with undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk next.
However, Itauma’s handlers have seemingly pumped the brakes on those plans.
“Joseph Parker, [Agit] Kabayel, and [Oleksandr] Usyk are good names, but I know the team want me to get rounds in before I get to those names,” Itauma told Boxing News in the immediate aftermath.
“The boring answer is Jermaine Franklin, only because he will get me some rounds.”
Itauma has only banked 26 rounds in 13 pro fights thus far, and will need a durable opponent to help him further his development.
Franklin fits that billing, having taken Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua the distance in the past.
But the American has been extremely inactive as of late.
Itauma will likely enter the Ring Magazine top 10 on Monday morning, so it makes sense for him to duke it out with a member of the heavyweight top table.
No.6-ranked Filip Hrgovic has an iron jaw and beat David Adeleye on Itauma’s undercard, while Fabio Wardley (No.7), Zhilei Zhang (No.8) and Martin Bakole (No.9) are all yet to be matched.
For now, the plan is for Itauma to fight twice more this year, with a ‘big one’ expected in December.