Mike Balogun, a former NFL player turned heavyweight boxer, is preparing to take on the highly regarded British prospect Moses Itauma.
At just 20 years old and with 11 professional fights, Itauma has already made a significant impact in the heavyweight division, securing nine victories by knockout. His impressive record has instilled fear among potential opponents.
He has even drawn comparisons to Mike Tyson, who also became a heavyweight champion at the age of 20. Securing willing fighters to step into the ring against the young Londoner has reportedly been one of Itauma`s main challenges so far.
This Saturday in Scotland, on the undercard of the Josh Taylor fight, the southpaw Balogun is set to answer that call.
The 6ft 1in American initially gained recognition in the National Football League, playing for teams including the San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys.
His NFL career concluded in 2012. By then, boxing training was already a component of his football regimen. It was after his release from the Virginia Destroyers that Balogun decided to transition into professional boxing.
He made his professional boxing debut in 2014, marking the beginning of his transformation into a fighter.
Balogun`s most notable victory came in 2021 when he knocked out Trey Lippe Morrison, son of the late former world champion Tommy Morrison.
The 41-year-old Balogun experienced his first professional defeat in 2023 against Murat Gassiev, who had previously lost his cruiserweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk five years prior.
Balogun enters the fight in the UK with seemingly nothing to lose, while Itauma is widely expected to achieve great success in the sport.
Itauma`s promoter, Frank Warren, has already hinted at the possibility of a future world title bout against Oleksandr Usyk, 38. Other potential opponents on Itauma`s radar include Martin Bakole, 31, and Filip Hrgovic, 32.
Warren commented to BoxNation: “Billy Nelson (trainer of Bakole) sent me a text about him making the fight at the end of the year or next year. Moses is not sitting around waiting for him, is he? He’s gonna get on with his business and who knows, I would expect by the end of this year for Moses to have at least another three fights.
"I haven’t got to drum up Bakole in my job, I’m in the Moses Itauma business and that’s all I care about.”
Warren added regarding Hrgovic: “I think that’s also a good fight to make. I wouldn’t have a problem doing that sometime this year.”
Oliver Croft