Moses Itauma set for massive 2026 clash as he moves towards Oleksandr Usyk showdown

Moses Itauma looks to have been offered a clear route to a world title fight by the World Boxing Council.

The WBC held their annual convention this week, with the 63rd edition held in Bangkok, Thailand.

One of the items on the agenda was British super prospect Itauma's future, with the 20-year-old currently 13-0 in his burgeoning professional career.

Itauma will look to take his next step towards the elite of the heavyweight division next month when he takes on American Jermaine Franklin at the Co-op Live in Manchester, but it appears his subsequent outing has already been mapped out.

At the convention the WBC announced their intention to book an All-British final eliminator showdown between Itauma and former cruiserweight world champion Lawrence Okolie.

The fight would determine the number one contender to face current unified heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.

Usyk has been granted a voluntary defence by the sanctioning body, and the two-time undisputed champion recently revealed that he is interested in a clash with Deontay Wilder next year.

The news will come as a major blow for Agit Kabayel, who has held the WBC's interim title since KO'ing Zhilei Zhang in February and now appears to be being overlooked in the world title picture.

Adrian Bishop

• Queensberry
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