‘It's a silly thing' – Moses Itauma reveals bizarre reason he has no drawers in training camp house ahead of Whyte fight
The heavyweight contender also addressed his difficulties in finding exciting hobbies
win, lose, drawer 'It's a silly thing' – Moses Itauma reveals bizarre reason he has no drawers in training camp house ahead of Whyte fight
MOSES ITAUMA is a win away from being part of the heavyweight world title furniture — just do not put a chest of drawers in front of him!
The Kent fighter, 20, faces Dillian Whyte on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia and victory over the world title challenger would catapult him on to boxing's top shelf.
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Moses Itauma has come out with the bizarre reasons that he has not kept a chest of drawers in his camp house as he prepares for his biggest fight yet
Credit: Getty
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Itauma will face veteran boxer Dillian Whyte on Saturday in an attempt to put himself in the spotlight for a title challenge
Credit: Getty
Wardrobe-of-a-man Whyte, 37, hit his peak when Itauma was ten years old, has a son older than his baby-faced rival and will throw the kitchen sink at him.
But the Body Snatcher's best chance will be putting in a shift as a removal man — because the only chink in Itauma's armour seems to be a distrust of drawers.
Laughing at mention of a DAZN clip showing all his possessions being kept in sport bags, Itauma said: 'It's not that I don't like drawers! But I've been in that camp house for a long time and like to maximise my space.
'It's a silly thing but I keep smashing my phone on stuff, too, and feel drawers are just a waste of space.
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MO STONE UNTURNED Whyte's body transformation as he shows off new look for Itauma fight
'I also don't really have personal belongings at the camp house — my personal belongings are at home.
'I keep my clothes in the wardrobe, my boxers and socks and underwear in one bag and I have another bag with all my bits and pieces that you would usually keep in a drawer.
'If I keep it all in bags, if I ever want to get up and leave one day, I can just grab the bags and go.
'I don't have a fear or phobia of drawers — I do have them at home. But I just like to maximise and utilise my space.
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'I'm a big guy and the bedroom in that camp house is small, so I need all the space I can get.'
As well as a minimalist approach to his training camp feng shui, Itauma's garden is similarly sparse.
Dillian Whyte's incredible body transformation as Body Snatcher works out for Moses Itauma fight
But the 'At Home with the Itaumas'-style show also had the 6ft 3in powerhouse using the Harlow garden to air his clean laundry in private.
And he admits that the behind-the-scenes access might have painted him in a slightly strange light.
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Only 20-years-old, Itauma has been trying to show the world a version of himself outside the ring
Credit: Getty
Laughing, he explained: 'We have a garden but don't use it to play football or have barbecues.
'We hang the washing out there on a little drying rack but that's about it.
'Now that I think about it, we don't really look OK in that video. I was trying to show a different side to me!'
Itauma might be Britain's most mature 20-year-old and despite being the most naturally-gifted boxer we have seen in decades, he is not a fan of all the trash talk and flashy bragging other fighters seem to enjoy.
The only thing that he is trying to add to his arsenal is a new hobby . . . to take his time and attention away from the ring.
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MOSES ITAUMA VS DILLIAN WHYTE: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
WATCH ITAUMA VS WHYTE LIVE ON DAZN
And asked about weekly games with his brother, he added: 'I am rubbish at bowling at the minute.
'I don't know what's going wrong, I think they changed the lanes down at the alley.
'I tried golf for a little while but I was trash.
'I am trying to get new hobbies but it's hard to find things that excite me.'
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Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma must pass first true test
Moses Itauma used to take on world champions after school. Now 20, he had plenty of experience of sparring the top heavyweights in the world by the time his pro career took off two years ago. Twelve wins and 10 knockouts later, he is regarded by many as the best young heavyweight prospect since Mike Tyson. There have been plenty of well-built and athletic heavyweight hopefuls, but it's incredibly rare for them to be quite this young or to possess the real key element – solid fundamental skills. Itauma's knockout power is impressive, certainly. But his footwork, technique and ringcraft are what elevate him to a true prodigy. Those inside boxing knew what was coming. Thomas Carty, a southpaw heavyweight from Phibsborough, met Itauma when the Briton was just 16. 'He was like a child at the time, like a young teenager – he was still in school,' he says. 'I knew that the kid was definitely a special talent.' READ MORE Carty sums up Itauma as ' good fundamentals and a genetic freak'. Southpaw heavyweights are hard to come by, so the pair have often been drafted into camps for sparring. Carty explains that they've got to know each other well. 'I'd actually be friendly enough with Moses, he's a good kid. We spent a lot of time together in Morecambe sparring [Tyson] Fury.' Moses Itauma walks out for an open workout in advance of his fight with Dillian Whyte. Photograph:The reason he prefaces that statement with 'actually' is because of who the 'kid' is fighting this weekend. Not only is Dillian Whyte by far the best opponent Itauma has faced so far, he is also Carty's manager, training partner and good friend. It says a lot about Itauma's quiet and likable character that the Irish fighter still has so many good things to say about him on fight week. In contrast, Whyte's personality is bold and brash, but at 37, the best days of his career are behind him. The Jamaican-born heavyweight cemented a place in the division's top 10 in the mid-2010s, and has only drifted out of those spots in the last few years. 'The Bodysnatcher' rose to prominence through his rivalry with Anthony Joshua, and he remained popular despite the knockout loss. In the years that followed, while the squeaky-clean Joshua was appearing on the Graham Norton Show, Whyte presented boxing fans with a chaotic and entertaining alternative British heavyweight to support. That chaos peaked during the build-up to his fight with Derek Chisora, where Whyte goaded his opponent into throwing a table at him during a press conference. It was that personality that originally made Carty a fan. 'I liked his whole demeanour, he didn't really care much for, you know, being politically correct. Him and Joshua were like polar opposites.' The fact that Whyte's fights generally lived up to the hype didn't hurt his popularity either. Whyte's Sunday punch is his lead left hook, which has knocked down or flattened top heavyweights such as Chisora, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin. He's particularly effective when under threat, making a specialty of the 'catch and counter', shelling up, taking a punch on the guard, and then uncorking one of his own back on the onrushing opponent. He does have an Achilles' heel though – his three losses (to Joshua, Fury and Povetkin) have all come by uppercut knockout. Dillian Whyte is expected to be the toughest opponent that Moses Itauma has ever faced. Photograph:There are a lot of variables at play in this fight. Whyte has been out of the limelight and hasn't looked at his best in his three fights since losing to Fury in 2022. But, then he showed up this week in the type of shape that made him a contender in the first place and a quick look at his CV reminds you that he has only lost to the cream of the crop. And Itauma is still a mystery at this level. His last two wins came against fighters with very good records (21-1 and 22-1) and he dealt with them in less than six minutes, combined. But Carty reckons there's a massive skill gap between those fighters and Whyte. 'They're on different planets,' he says. 'If you look deep enough into some people's records, you'll find that they're inflated with a load of nobodies.' Despite his limited CV, Itauma is a personal favourite of the Saudi Arabian billionaire Turki Alalshikh, who has bankrolled most of the big heavyweight fights in this decade so far. After Usyk's destruction of Britain's Daniel Dubois, Alalshikh wrote on X (formerly Twitter): 'I want to see Usyk against Itauma. This is the fight.' That is what is expected of Itauma. That's a lot of pressure for a guy who already has to deal with Whyte this weekend. For now, the focus has to be on this weekend only. If he looks past Whyte, then he'll be staring up at the roof lights at the end of Saturday night.
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Moses Itauma net worth and how much he is getting paid for Dillian Whyte fight
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. Moses Itauma will earn big money for his bout with Dillian Whyte Cha-Ching Moses Itauma net worth and how much he is getting paid for Dillian Whyte fight PROMISING heavyweight Moses Itauma is set for a huge payday as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career. Moses Itauma made his boxing debut in January, 2023 when he fought and beat Marcel Bode at Wembley. 1 Moses Itauma is set for a massive payday as he takes on Dillian Whyte this Saturday Credit: PA Since then, the 20-year-old star has appeared in 11 more professional fights and won all of them. Advertisement The young boxer will earn his biggest paycheck yet this Saturday as he fights in a blockbuster affair against fellow Brit Dillian Whyte. What is Moses Itauma's net worth? Itauma has been in some big fights in his short career, most notably beating Mike Balogun via a second round knockout in May. He is the current holder of the WBO intercontinental heavyweight title. The Brit defeated Ilja Mezencev on May 18, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to win the title and has since defended it twice. Advertisement According to Bet365, Itauma has a reported net worth of £450k - but this figure is solely based on his estimated boxing purses. This reported net worth will sky rocket after his fight with Whyte as he is set to earn almost double his career earnings in one fight. Itauma will hope a victory will lead to a mammoth fight against undisputed champ Oleksandr Usyk for the WBO belt. What is Moses Itauma's purse for the Dillian Whyte fight? According to sources online, Moses Itauma is guaranteed $1million (£753k) while opponent Dillian Whyte is guaranteed $2.5million (£1.8million). Advertisement Depending on pay-per-view numbers, Itauma could earn another $500k (£376k) and Whyte could earn a further $1m (£753k). This would take the total for Itauma to $1.5million (£1.1million) and Whyte to $3.5million (£2.6million). When is Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte and what TV channel is it on?
The Irish Sun
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Ronnie O'Sullivan pockets £147,000 payday after recording first 147 break in SEVEN YEARS… with two in same match
RONNIE O'SULLIVAN sensationally banked a £147,000 cash bonus after he compiled TWO 147s in the same snooker match. The Rocket, 49, hit two maximums in his semi-final clash with Chris Wakelin in the semi-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Jeddah. 3 Ronnie O'Sullivan remarkably compiled two 147 breaks in one match Credit: Getty This was just the second time it had ever happened in a professional capacity – Welshman Jackson Page produced the feat for the first time in history during World Championship qualifying in Sheffield in April. O'Sullivan, using a new cue this season after smashing up his original one in January in a spot of rage, cleared up all the balls in frame one to woo the few fans in the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City. It was the 16th of his career and first since the 2018 English Open in Brentwood against Allan Taylor. In the next frame, the former world No.1 hit a 142 break to move 2-0 ahead. READ MORE IN SNOOKER 'Against my beliefs' Snooker legend retires with emotional statement after health battle And then in frame seven, about an hour or so later, the seven-time world champion hit the 17th 147 of his stellar career. It was the 222nd seen in professional snooker, the fifth of the 2025-26 season, and he is the oldest person in the sport to have savoured a 147 break. Even for someone who has broken so many records throughout his life, this was a very special moment indeed. And remarkable to think that four months out from his 50th birthday, he is still able to produce feats of sheer brilliance. 3 O'Sullivan beat Chris Wakelin 6-3 to reach the final Credit: Shutterstock Editorial CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The World Snooker Tour will now pay out a bonus of £147,000 which had been on the table for anyone able to hit two 147s in one of four major tournaments – the Saudi Masters, UK Championship, Masters and World Championship – across the 2025-26 season. O'Sullivan sealed the 6-3 win over Wakelin with a 134 score and has earned a minimum of £200,000 for making the final. Mark Williams attempts new way of potting yellow as snooker referee struggles to contain his laughter Wakelin, 33, sportingly fist-bumped O'Sullivan and was all smiles and so was referee Tatiana Woollaston as the crowd erupted. O'Sullivan will play Australian cueist Neil Robertson – who beat Elliot Slessor 6-3 in the other semi-final – in Saturday's final over the best of 19 frames with £500,000 on the line for the winner. O'Sullivan – who separately receives two-thirds of a £50,000 high-break prize, with the other third going to fellow Maximum Man Thepchaiya Un-Nooh – said: 'It's probably the maddest game I have ever played in. 'Maddest game. I played one against Stephen Hendry in Torquay which wasn't televised. I beat the highest break three times in the final. 'You have to enjoy it. At 3-3, I'm thinking: 'I'm probably going to lose this game.' I have had a maxi, a 142 clearance and he's a monster. He's so solid. He's a superb competitor. 'I'd like to say thank you to Saudi, for what they have done in sport, bringing snooker here. A massive thanks to those guys. The crowd, the venue is great. The players would all say this is their favourite tournament. 'It's such a great event. Great good. Hospitality. It's superb. As a player you want to stay in the tournament a bit longer and just milk it as much as you can. Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters Prize Money Here's a breakdown of how much money is on offer during the Saudi tournament... Winner: £500,000 £500,000 Runner-up: £200,000 £200,000 Semi-final: £100,000 £100,000 Quarter-final: £50,000 £50,000 Last 16: £30,000 £30,000 Last 32: £20,000 £20,000 Last 48: £11,000 £11,000 Last 80: £7,000 £7,000 Last 112: £4,000 £4,000 Last 144: £2,000 £2,000 147 break: £50,000 £50,000 Total: £2,302,000 'I heard it was £50,000 for a 147. I thought: 'Ah, that's worth going for.' Then I'm thinking, all of a sudden, if I get another one… 'I would have had plenty more. I was stuck on 15. Now I've gone up to 17. I could have been in my mid-20s if World Snooker had not been so stingy (with prize money).' O'Sullivan added: 'It's great. I like playing good snooker. It's nice when you feel in control. I'm over the moon to find the right cue. I think I will sleep alright now. It has been a good day. 'It's hard for me to say, where do I go from there? I have to regroup and reboot, it's a different match. Neil is a phenomenal player. 'The person who doubted me, I better send him a few quid. Get him a little holiday. Can you get his name? Get the comments off YouTube. I will have to send him an email.' David Hendon, the respected discovery+ commentator, said: 'To make a second maximum in this semi-final. Just when you think there's nothing left for him to do in the sport. 'We waited seven years between his 15th and 16th. We wondered what was going to happen to Ronnie O'Sullivan after he smashed his cue up last season. 'He has a new one – and this is the result. This is flair, this is aura, this is genius. Ronnie for the second maximum tonight. 'The crowd can barely believe what they have seen. There is still time maybe for him to make another one. Extraordinary.' One wag in the crowd shouted 'go for the hat-trick' but even for someone as brilliant as O'Sullivan that was going to be a tall order.
