MOSES ITAUMA IS thinking big having become Queensberry’s newest member of the professional ranks.

Itauma, who recently turned 18, made his professional debut on January 28 at the OVO Arena, Wembley on the undercard of the World Light Heavyweight unified title battle between Artur Beterbiev and Anthony Yarde. Moses took just 23 seconds to blast out Marcel Bode and he will double his professional fight tally in Telford on March 25.

The Chatham-based heavy won gold at the Schools, Juniors and Youth Europeans and his World gold came recently in November over in Spain. He is a two-time National champion, a Multi-Nation BoxCup winner and unbeaten in 24 fights as an amateur, with only one of them being a split-decision verdict at the age of 11.

Represented by CSM, the management group recently founded by Francis Warren, he now joins fellow heavyweights Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce, Daniel Dubois, David Adeleye, George Fox and Boma Brown in sporting Queensberry colours.

“It is exciting for me because Frank Warren has been on the circuit for many years and is the man for the job,” said Itauma on teaming up with a Hall of Fame promoter. “It is going to be good and it is exciting times.

“For me now it is about stepping up quickly, really. I never really took up boxing to win world titles, I literally just kept going to the gym because we were like a little family at St Mary’s ABC. It was just good fun and then I started winning National titles.

“About two years ago I felt the amateur game wasn’t really for me and I started to grow out of it. I don’t think I’m special but I realised I was good at boxing probably when I started sparring Lawrence Okolie when I was 14-15 years old and was holding my own.

“I was then sparring Joe Joyce, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua and was still holding my own, if not getting the better of it. When I was sparring Joyce and Okolie I was coming in wearing my school uniform having come straight from school and was yawning.

“I remember sparring Joe Joyce and I yawned when I got in the ring. His coach wasn’t impressed but I had run straight from school.”

Now having shed the school blazer, Itauma has set himself the target of becoming the youngest ever world heavyweight champion. To do this he needs to emulate the 20 years and four months record set by Mike Tyson.

“It has been on my mind probably from the beginning of last year and Frank says it is do-able,” explained Itauma.