I'm an ex-world champion and I've sparred Fury and Joshua but it was a kid in school uniform who gave real problems

Former two-weight world champion Lawrence Okolie has sparred with the best that the heavyweight division has to offer - but says that there is one teenage fighter that gave him more problems than Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua.

Okolie - who previously held the WBO cruiserweight and WBC bridgerweight titles, has now moved up to boxing's glamour division, and marked his first contest as a heavyweight by blasting out Germany's Hussein Muhamed at Wembley Arena on Saturday night. The 31-year-old has sparred dozens of rounds with the Gypsy King Fury and two-time champion Joshua but has revealed that rising heavyweight star Moses Itauma - who has won all 10 of his bouts so far with eight KOs - gave him his toughest run out in the ring after sparring the now 19-year-old back in 2020 after he rocked up to the gym in his school uniform.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: "Funnily enough, I don't know if it was because I was making cruiserweight or not. But the young up and comer, Moses Itauma that I remember sparring when he was 15 when I was preparing for a world title shot.

"I don't know what it was about him, he was so fast and explosive and also very skilful. To be fair that's the toughest spar I had. I was 27 and geared up for a world title shot and in my best shape.

"This boy came in his school uniform, taking off his tie and blazer and coming in to give some great work. That's why I'm rooting for him, as I want someone with that much talent actually go and accomplish great things."

Fury has been joined by Itauma in sparring for his highly-anticipated rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia on December 21 and has previously joked that he would not fancy fighting the teenanger when he hits his prime. Fury said: "No, definitely