Moses Itauma reveals who hit him ‘like a baseball bat’ - and it isn’t Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua

November 24, 2025

Despite sparring heavyweight titans like Anthony Joshua, 36, Tyson Fury, 37, and fighting Dillian Whyte, also 37, The Wrecking Ball, 20, has said Croatia’s Luka Pratljacic, 28, is the boxer he has received the most punishment from.

Speaking with The Ring, Itauma said: “Off the top of my head, you got this kid called Luka Pratljacic.

“He's a Croatian guy. I think he's still an amateur; he might have had one fight as a pro. Honestly, getting hit by him, I felt like I was getting hit by a baseball bat.

“It wasn't even landing clean, and I was like, ‘Someone check his gloves,’ but he was wearing my gloves. His punches were very hard.”

Following his one-round knockout win over Whyte in August, Itauma is to fight Jermaine Franklin, 32, at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena in January 2026.

Itauma’s promoter Frank Warren said in a statement: “I am very happy to have our heavyweight prodigy Moses topping the bill in another perfect test of his unquestionable credentials against a very tough American.”

Before Franklin, The Wrecking Ball had been due to face WBA champion Kubrat Pulev, 44, though The Cobra has since moved past Itauma in favour of Murat Gassiev, 32.

Warren said of the Pulev-Gassiev clash, which will take place next month in Dubai: “We've got to see what happens with this Pulev situation because the WBA ordered that fight and he can't get out of it. We'll see where we go.

“They're talking about they want to go to Dubai for this Gassiev fight but the WBA has not sanctioned that fight, to my knowledge.

“How can you sanction a fight if you're putting another one out? So we are where we are.”

After Pulev chose to fight Gassiev instead of Itauma, The Cobra’s promoter Ivaylo Gotzev said The Wrecking Ball “must wait his turn” for a shot at Pulev.

He said in a statement: “The Pulev vs Gassiev fight is signed, sealed, and confirmed - so Itauma will have to wait his turn.

“We have an official WBA resolution authorising Kubrat Pulev's first title defence to be a voluntary, and in line with that, we've locked in a terrific opponent in Murat Gassiev.”