Itauma injury means Franklin bout off until March

Moses Itauma’s fight against American Jermaine Franklin has been rescheduled for March after the British heavyweight picked up an injury while training.

The fight, which was due to take place on 24 January at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena, will now take place at the same venue on 28 March.

Itauma further strengthened his credentials as one of the top contenders in the division when beating Dillian Whyte by knockout in August.

The 21-year-old is unbeaten in 13 fights while 32-year-old Franklin has 24 wins and two losses on his record.

“Unfortunately Moses Itauma has sustained an injury in camp and therefore the Magnificent 7 show has been re-scheduled for 28 March,” promoters Queensberry said.

Itauma has won 11 of his 13 fights by knockout, with each of his last nine victories coming inside the distance, six of which have ended in round one.

American Franklin has lost just two of his 26 contests, with those defeats coming against Anthony Joshua and Whyte.

Itauma stepped into the ring twice in 2025 and had been expected to fight on 13 December before a raft of issues delayed his return.

He had several potential opponents turn him down before the WBA ordered him to fight Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev for the WBA ‘Regular’ heavyweight title.

Pulev then announced he would be fighting Russian Murat Gassiev on 12 December and lost via a sixth-round knockout.

Scotland’s light-heavyweight Willy Hutchinson is due to take on England’s Ezra Taylor in the co-main event in Manchester.

There is also an all-British featherweight bout between Liam Davies and Zak Miller on the card.