Chatham heavweight Moses Itauma claims TKO win over Bradford’s Dan Garber as new coach Alan Smith hails his special potential

Big talent Moses Itauma made light work of his latest opponent and was instantly looking for another.

Bradford’s Dan Garber took the fight at short notice - only agreeing to meet the Medway teenager on Monday - and Itauma showed he was on a completely different level to his opponent.

Referee Mark Bates waved the heavyweight contest at York Hall off with 40 seconds of the first round remaining - Itauma’s sixth stoppage inside the opening round from his eight professional fights.

Manager Francis Warren said afterwards that Itauma (8-0) is expected to have another seven fights this year and confirmed that they are looking for a title-clash when he heads to Saudi Arabia on May 18 on the undercard of the Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk extravaganza.

Itauma will certainly be looking for harder challenges after easing to a victory on Friday night at York Hall. It was his first outing since blowing away Michal Boloz inside a minute at the same venue.

Manager Francis Warren said: “We’re going to try and get out again as quickly as possible but Moses will be on the May 18 card in Saudi and we’re pushing for a title-fight on there.

“The first thing Moses said to me after that terrific win was “get me out again Francis - get me out quick!”

Itauma said: “It was good to get back into the ring. I could have got him out earlier but I have been training since before Christmas and I wanted to maybe take him out third or fourth round but the ref had his decision and I just have to go with it.”

Prior to the fight champion Tyson Fury described Itauma as being “the future of the heavyweight division."

Garber looked on survival mode from the start of the contest and Bates made the sensible decision to call it off when he did. The contest was