Moses Itauma, the undefeated heavyweight, returns to action in Manchester this weekend as he continues his charge against experienced American Jermaine Franklin at the Co-op Live Arena. Since stepping up in Riyadh two years ago, Itauma has needed just 482 seconds to blast out five opponents. That destructive run now leads to Jermaine Franklin, who should offer far more resistance.

The twenty-one-year-old enters the bout with a record of 13-0 and eleven knockouts as momentum around the young heavyweight continues to grow. Franklin, 24-2 with fifteen stoppages, brings valuable experience. The Michigan fighter has shared the ring with both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, proving he can absorb punishment against elite opposition.

Itauma is being guided carefully, as if he is the next major heavyweight attraction from the United Kingdom, a path reminiscent of the one Eddie Hearn once followed with Anthony Joshua. However, many observers believe Itauma possesses even greater natural explosiveness than Joshua showed at the same stage of his career. Frank Warren has taken a different approach, letting the bulldozer’s fists do the talking while keeping the youngest contender away from premature championship pressure.

The one thing slowing Itauma’s rise slightly has been activity. After knocking out Dillian Whyte in just 119 seconds, many expected the English-Slovak southpaw to be back in the ring sooner than seven months later. Franklin’s durability could provide the perfect opponent to answer the questions that remain. The American has repeatedly shown he can stay competitive against top heavyweights even when under sustained pressure.

If Itauma takes out Franklin, a notoriously tough customer for anyone in the division, the gap between fights could soon look justified. Victory would move Itauma closer to the title picture that has hovered around his name for some time. However, that door to a belt may not be closed for long. A strong performance against Franklin could still push Itauma toward a clash with Murat Gassiev for the soon-to-be defunct WBA Regular heavyweight title. Timing matters. Proposed changes linked to the Ali Revival Act include a one-champion-per-division rule that would remove secondary belts such as the WBA Regular title.

The heavyweight contest forms part of DAZN’s “Magnificent 7” card at the Co-op Live Arena. Also scheduled, Liam Davies meets Francesco Grandelli for the vacant European featherweight title as part of a stacked Manchester bill. The action begins at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, streaming live on DAZN.