Prince Naseem Hamed, the former boxing world champion, has declared that emerging British heavyweight Moses Itauma possesses the talent to surpass his own storied career and achieve unparalleled global sporting stardom.
Hamed, known for his flamboyant persona and exceptional boxing skills, spoke about Itauma ahead of the young fighter's challenge for the vacant IBF heavyweight title against Filip Hrgovic. Hamed stated that he believes Itauma is better than he was, a sentiment he has never expressed about any other fighter.
"I'm going to say something I've never said before. I think Moses is better than me," Hamed said. "I haven't said that about many fighters. Actually, I haven't said that about any fighters. But, I think Moses has a very bright future. He is going to be the best that's ever lived."
Beyond boxing, Hamed sees Itauma following in the footsteps of global sports icons like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, citing the young fighter's recent endorsement deal with Nike as evidence. "I've seen Moses has become the face of Nike. Let me tell you something about Nike: they don't really get it wrong too much. They pick the right guys. When they picked Michael Jordan, they chose right. When they chose Tiger Woods, they chose right. They've got Moses now and they've chosen right."
Hamed attributes Itauma's potential to a more calculated and complete fighting style compared to his own instinctive approach. He highlighted Itauma's speed, footwork, and power as key attributes that will make him a formidable opponent.
Itauma, at 21 years old, is challenging for a world title at an age comparable to Hamed's own title challenge. However, Itauma's professional experience is notably less, with 14 wins and 31 rounds boxed compared to Hamed's 19 wins and 68 rounds when he first challenged for a world title. This raises questions about how Itauma will handle adversity in the ring, particularly against the more experienced Hrgovic, who is 34 and has a record of 20 wins with 15 knockouts.
Hamed, who faced his own moments of crisis in his career, including being knocked down multiple times by Kevin Kelley, believes Itauma is mentally equipped to handle such challenges. "Everybody talks about Moses not having enough rounds, but I didn't have loads of rounds either," Hamed said. "We both didn't have that learning phase in the same way a lot of fighters do."
Hamed pointed to Itauma's swift demolition of former world title challenger Dillian Whyte as proof of his capability, noting that Whyte had significant experience and had previously fought top heavyweights like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Another aspect Hamed values in Itauma is his humility, which he sees as a refreshing contrast to the often-bombastic nature of professional boxing. "I love the fact of how humble he is," Hamed commented. "His parents must have brought him up to be the man that he is today, because it shows. And he's a breath of fresh air in boxing."
Hamed also shared his thoughts on the potential blockbuster fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, expressing a preference for the bout to take place in the UK. "I think that's a UK fight. I think that's a big UK fight, and I think it should sell out Wembley," he stated. While acknowledging the historical significance of Madison Square Garden, Hamed believes the British public deserves to see such a major contest on home soil.
Regarding the outcome of a potential Joshua-Fury clash, Hamed remained non-committal, acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the current form of both fighters. "That's a good question. I think any of them can win," he said. "But we don't know who we have today in regards to Tyson Fury and where he's really at, and we don't know which AJ we have."
Ultimately, Hamed's excitement about Itauma stems from a desire to see British boxing produce another figure who can capture the nation's attention, reminiscent of his own career and that of Ricky Hatton. "And that, ultimately, is why Hamed's excitement about Itauma feels so significant. He remembers what it was like when British boxing had fighters who could command the attention of an entire country. He believes Itauma could be the next one."