Taylor Names Top 10 Opponents For Itauma Comeback

Moses Itauma will return to the ring in January 2027 somewhere in London, promoter Frank Warren confirmed, as the heavyweight attempts to rebuild after his August defeat to Filip Hrgovic. Warren told The Ring he wants Itauma to face a name in the comeback fight, which opens up a wide field of possibilities for the 21-year-old.

Columnist Declan Taylor ran through 10 potential opponents for the bout, ranging from established contenders to safe rebuilding options. At the top of the list sits Jarrell Miller, the WBA's number-one contender who Taylor described as one of the division's biggest names despite his controversies. Miller might take the fight if the money is right, Taylor suggested, and would know exactly how good Itauma is going in.

Torrez, Anderson Among Rebuild Options

Richard Torrez presents a logical option given both southpaws now carry identical records of 14 wins and one stoppage loss. Torrez has previously said he wants the Itauma fight and believes his style would cause problems. Jared Anderson, who signed with Queensberry but has yet to debut for them after an injury scrapped a May clash with Sol Dacres, would serve as a higher-risk option that could restore both fighters' credentials.

Taylor floated Deontay Wilder as an unlikely but intriguing choice, noting the 41-year-old kept his career alive by outpointing Derek Chisora in April and remains a huge name. "They would undoubtedly sell out the O2 in January, but the only problem is—what if he catches the 21-year-old with one of those vintage right hands?" Taylor wrote.

Safer picks include Guido Vianello, a durable Queensberry fighter who has only been stopped by the doctor, and Tony Yoka, the French Olympic gold medalist who has been inactive since December. On a purely ranking basis, Bakhodir Jalolov makes the most sense as the IBF's number-four contender with Itauma at number seven, though Taylor noted the two-time Olympic champion has not put a foot wrong as a pro.

Itauma has not fought since the Hrgovic loss and will be looking to re-enter the heavyweight title picture with a strong performance in the new year.

Source: ringmagazine.com