After his first-round demolition of veteran Demsey McKean, Moses Itauma once again found himself in the spotlight. Fighting on the Oleksandr Usyk–Tyson Fury II undercard, the towering 6’6″ heavyweight didn’t allow McKean to settle, knocking him down once before landing the powerful left hook that floored the Australian contender in the very first round.
Given his fighting style, particularly his devastating knockout power, many consider Itauma the natural heir to Mike Tyson’s legacy. To cement his place in boxing history, all Itauma needs to do is break Tyson’s long-standing record. Fortunately, he still has time—but the road ahead is filled with challenges that he must navigate carefully.
Moses Itauma and The Countdown to Mike Tyson’s Record
iFL TV shared an interesting trivia. They highlighted that Moses Itauma has time till May 19 this year to break Mike Tyson’s record. Tyson set the record on November 22, 1986, when, at 20 years, 4 months, and 22 days old, he knocked out Trevor Berbick to become the WBC heavyweight champion—just over a year after his debut against Hector Mercedes on March 6, 1985.
Floyd Patterson was the first to set the record, accomplishing the feat at 21 in 1956. Thirty years later, Tyson, under the guidance of Patterson’s longtime trainer, Cus D’Amato, surpassed Patterson’s record. Tyson’s 39-year record remains unbeaten to this day.
Incidentally, a week after the magnificent win over Demsey McKean, Moses Itauma turned 20. By April 28, 2025, he will be 20 years and 4 months old. With just 22 more days to go, Itauma’s deadline to break Tyson’s record falls around May 19-20, 2025.
But the greater question remains: Is he in a position to achieve such a monumental feat in such a short amount of time?
Tyson’s Record: A Bridge Too Far?
As of now, Itauma holds the 6th spot in the WBO rankings, the 9th spot in the WBC standings, and the 14th spot in the IBF rankings. While impressive, these rankings place him some distance from title contention.
This is a harsh reality many boxing fans and pundits are familiar with. Even for mandatory challengers, who are typically the top-ranked fighters, title shots can be hard to come by. Take Daniel Dubois, for example—he spent nearly a year climbing from challenger to full champion, a position that only materialized after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the IBF title.
Thus, cutting short this lengthy process to break a record could seem far-fetched to some. However, Itauma’s fast, slick moves and rising star power have certainly impressed the boxing world. And with many of the top current heavyweights, such as Usyk, Fury, and Derek Chisora, nearing the end of their careers, space is gradually opening up for new contenders like Itauma. 27-year-old Daniel Dubois, who has already stepped into a champion’s shoes, is a fine example.
Boxing fans may need to take the notion of Itauma breaking Tyson’s record with a grain of salt. It’s a monumental achievement that may remain unbroken for now—unless, of course, a combination of miraculous calculations and strategic moves places Itauma in a prime position for a title shot.
What do you think? Do you feel optimistic about Moses Itauma breaking Tyson’s 39-year-old record, or does the timeline seem too ambitious?
