British teenage sensation Moses Itauma produced a stunning second-round knockout to defeat Iija Mezencev on Saturday evening.
The 19-year-old has previously expressed his desire to become the youngest world champion in boxing history and has taken another step towards doing so in Saudi Arabia.
Itauma made his intentions clear from the first bell as he marched towards his German counterpart and began landing at will with some brutal combinations.
The teenager then sent his opponent to the canvas in the final moments of the first round, but the judges instead scored it as a shove from the British star.
However, Itauma didn’t wait long in the second round before delivering a brutal right hook to Mezencev, sending him crashing to the canvas.
British star Moses Itauma (right) produced a stunning knockout against Iija Mezencev (left)
The 19-year-old extended his unbeaten record to 9-0 after beating the German in Riyadh
Itauma claimed the WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight championship title with the victory
The German was clearly dazed and wobbled wildly as he got back to his feet before the referee waved the fight off.
The win in Saudi Arabia sees Itauma claim the WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Championship and extend his professional record to 9-0.
Itauma said after the fight: ‘I’m ready, (this is the) first (title) of many. I just go in and do my job, I’m grateful to be here. I was on track today, wasn’t I? Everything is important.
‘Anyone can get it. Everyone I call doesn’t want to fight. Now that I have this title with me, I am happy with everyone.’
In January, Itauma spoke to Mail Sport to explain his ambitions in boxing, including becoming the youngest world champion since Mike Tyson.
‘I think I can. In Tyson’s day it was much more manageable, because you never really had the promoters and the agents. Even if I don’t achieve it, at least I will be present for those kinds of conversations,” he said.
“I want to go into this year with full force and become the youngest heavyweight world champion, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. I’m not going to cry about it. It’s a goal, but sometimes you don’t reach your goal and you just move on to the next thing.’
The youngster has the ambition to become the youngest world champion since Mike Tyson
Itauma said in his post-fight interview that “anyone can get it” after the impressive win
Earlier in the evening, former two-time light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev was knocked down and comprehensively defeated on points by Robin Safar.
In just his second fight since being knocked out by Canelo Alvarez in November 2019, Kovalev moved up to cruiserweight to take on undefeated Swede Robin Safar in Riyadh, but he couldn’t turn back the years.
After falling behind on the scorecards, Kovalev was sent to the canvas in the closing seconds of the final round after a left-right combination from Safar.
Kovalev, 41, stood to hear the final bell, but all three judges scored the fight in Safar’s favor.
Throughout the ten-round bout, Kovalev looked like a shadow of his former self, and it could spell the end of his stellar career.
