Following his dominant first-round victory over Demsey McKean in December, many anticipated that rising British heavyweight star Moses Itauma would next face a top-ranked contender.
However, recent announcements have surprised boxing enthusiasts, revealing that the 20-year-old Itauma will instead step into the ring against American Mike Balogun, a 41-year-old fighter who is not widely known.
This article delves into the background of Mike Balogun, who holds a professional record of 21 wins, 1 loss, with 16 knockouts, to understand why he has been selected as the opponent for the undefeated Itauma, who boasts 11 wins, 0 losses, and 9 knockouts.
Balogun, originally from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, demonstrated his athletic ability early on as a linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners in college football. He briefly joined the practice squads of NFL teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010.
In November of the same year, he signed with the Buffalo Bills, playing in two NFL games before his release at the end of the season.
After a hiatus of three and a half years, Balogun transitioned to professional boxing. He achieved an impressive 17-0 record with 14 knockouts before facing Trey Lippe Jr., son of former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison, in a bout considered to be evenly matched.
Balogun secured a career-defining victory by defeating Lippe in the first round. Lippe has not competed again since this 2021 fight.
Balogun continued his winning streak with subsequent second-round victories over Sergi Ramirez and Marcus Oliveira, earning him a fight against Murat Gassiev. Gassiev, a former world champion in the cruiserweight division, proved too formidable, ending Balogun`s undefeated record with a second-round knockout.
Balogun rebounded with a unanimous decision win against Lamon Capers in March 2024, but has been inactive since. Given his lack of ranking and name recognition, fans are questioning the benefits of this matchup for Itauma, a highly touted prospect aiming for the heavyweight championship.
Sources suggest Itauma`s team initially sought a more challenging opponent, but the deal fell through. This led to considering last-minute alternatives, as Itauma aims to break his longest period of inactivity in his career, spanning five months.
Furthermore, promoter Eddie Hearn has mentioned a potential future clash between Itauma and Australian heavyweight contender Justis Huni (12-0, 7 KOs), who is ranked number one by the WBO. A victory in such a fight could pave the way for a world title opportunity.
Similar to Huni, Demsey McKean, and Itauma himself, Balogun is a southpaw boxer. This fight offers Itauma valuable experience against a southpaw style, which could be beneficial preparation for a potential fight against Huni later in the year. This low-stakes fight is expected to help Itauma maintain momentum and prepare for future, more significant bouts.
