Moses Itauma injured in training camp. Queensberry reschedules the Manchester headliner from January 24 to March 28, including the complete fight card.
Queensberry postpones the boxing evening on January 24 in Manchester. Moses Itauma is injured in the training camp. The new date is March 28. This means that the entire event has been postponed. The postponement comes just under two weeks before the original date. Itauma was due to headline the evening as the main fighter. The 21-year-old is one of the most highly regarded talents in the heavyweight division. He is unbeaten and was due to start 2026 with a challenging task. That opportunity will now have to wait.
Moses Itauma is scheduled to fight Jermaine Franklin. Franklin is regarded as a physically strong touchstone. The man from Michigan has already boxed against Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua. He lost on points, but held his own for a long time. Franklin recently spoke openly about the fact that he doesn’t just want to be seen as a “measuring stick”. The postponement gives Franklin two additional months of preparation. For Itauma, on the other hand, it is the next notch in his schedule. He has recently been in the ring less often than his early career would suggest. Even a planned headliner in December did not materialize.
Hutchinson-Taylor and Davies-Miller also affected
The entire card shifted with the main fight. Willy Hutchinson was scheduled to fight Ezra Taylor at light heavyweight. Liam Davies was also scheduled to fight Zak Miller. Queensberry wants to make up for the pairings on March 28.
In the heavyweight division, however, the environment remains in flux. Murat Gassiev recently won a one-punch knockout against Kubrat Pulev and holds the WBA “Regular” title. Itauma is highly ranked by the WBA and WBO. Mandatory options could become an issue in the coming months. At the same time, Agit Kabayel recently made headlines with a knockout victory in round three. Other names are also rearranging themselves, while the title pictures continue to move.
Text by Robin Josten