Moses Itauma ordered to face ex-Anthony Joshua rival for heavyweight title

Moses Itauma has had yet another route to a world title presented to him after the WBA ordered him to challenge for Kubrat Pulev’s WBA (Regular) heavyweight title.

Itauma has been struggling to find his next opponent ahead of his December 13 ring return alongside Derek Chisora.

It was initially rumoured that Itauma would face Filip Hrgovic, who shared a card with Itauma, outpointing David Adeyele, before Itauma demolished former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in less than a round in August.

Frank Warren has since revealed that Hrgovic priced himself out of the fight, and the search for an opponent has continued.

The latest frontrunners, Michael Hunter and Adeleye, were revealed earlier this month.

Whilst Warren scrambles to find an appropriate challenge for his rising phenom, Pulev has been ordered to face the Itauma, who is the WBA’s number one-ranked contender at heavyweight.

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The Bulgarian fighter, now 44, acquired the ‘Regular’ belt, a step down from Oleksandr Usyk’s ‘Super’ belt, in December last year by beating Mahmoud Charr.

He was initially set to defend it against Michael Hunter. But Hunter double-booked himself in another fight with Jarrell Miller, and both fights were called off.

Because of this, the WBA have now given Itauma and Pulev 30 days to negotiate before the fight heads to purse bids on November 14.

The WBA ruling read: “The agreement provided that Pulev was free to defend his title against any available contender ranked in the WBA heavyweight division within a reasonable time after execution of this agreement. No such defence has been made or announced.

“Therefore, the Committee requires Pulev to engage in a mandatory title defence against the next leading available contender and WBA #1 ranked contender Moses Itauma.”

Pulev is a stalwart of the heavyweight division and has shared the ring with some of the greats, including Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua, who handed him his last defeat in December 2020.

This isn’t the first opportunity to be thrown Itauma’s way, however, as he recently rejected an IBF title final eliminator with Cuban contender Frank Sanchez.

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