In the heavyweight main event of the Magnificent 7 card in Manchester, Moses Itauma stopped Jermaine Franklin with a brutal fifth-round uppercut.

The unbeaten southpaw controlled the contest from the opening bell at the Co-op Live Arena, hurting Franklin early and forcing the American into survival mode for the majority of the fight.

Itauma’s speed and power were immediately evident in the first round as he landed heavy shots that visibly rocked Franklin. The visitor spent much of the second round attempting to weather the storm while Itauma continued to land clean punches, including a sharp uppercut that drew a defiant shake of the head from Franklin.

The pressure paid off in the third when Itauma dropped Franklin with a crushing overhand right to the temple near the end of the round, after steadily softening him up.

Franklin briefly found a moment of success in the fourth, landing a solid punch that Itauma acknowledged, but the British heavyweight still controlled the round to extend his advantage on the WBN scorecard.

The finish arrived in the fifth. After breaking Franklin down during the opening minute and a half of the round, Itauma unleashed a devastating uppercut that ended the contest instantly without the need for a count.

Itauma led 40-35 on the WBN running scorecard at the time of the stoppage following rounds of 10-9, 10-9, 10-8 and 10-9 before sealing victory with the knockout.

After the bout, in a post-fight interview with DAZN, Itauma said, “I’m happy to get the win. In Manchester, this is where I won my first national title.”

He added, “I tried to knock him out in the first or second round. I went back to basics and got the knockout in the fifth round.”

Frank Warren stated, “He’ll be out again in July. He’s number one with the WBO and WBA. We’ll sort something out because he’s a big, big fighter.”

The win continues Itauma’s rapid rise in the heavyweight division and adds another emphatic stoppage to the young contender’s growing résumé.

Itauma thanked Jermaine Franklin for the opportunity and mentioned that he hoped to fight for titles soon. Frank Warren, promoter of Queensberry Promotions, expressed his confidence that Itauma will fight for a world title this year.