The 21-year-old phenom was supposed to grab the baton from former two-time heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Approaching the finish line during a one-sided fight he was dominating against Filip Hrgovic on August 29, he got gassed and crashed, suffering a stunning ninth-round stoppage.

In the aftermath, all accounts have indicated that it was too much too soon for Itauma. Questions were raised around how seriously he took his conditioning in the build-up, when a clip surfaced of him saying he didn't spar 12 rounds before fights.

His stablemate and former WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley has since addressed the clip this week, confirming that The Ring's No. 8 heavyweight had indeed sparred 12 rounds after the interview aired.

“From my experience, I said to Frank Warren, and to everybody who would listen, ‘too soon, this guy needs another four-five fights, what is the rush? He is 21," Fury told reporter Gareth A Davies in an interview from his training camp home in Miami, Florida.

“I suppose when you are trying to build somebody into a superstar and all of that stuff, you put him in early. They made a mistake, and it has cost them. Not only has it cost Moses the $100 million career, I believe he was a billion-dollar athlete.

“It is very difficult [to bounce back], when you have been banjo’d like that; it is difficult to turn that around mentally, physically and emotionally.

“Here’s why I think it’s going to be difficult: you have got an absolute monster like Moses, and if you put him in against low-level opposition and he blows them away like he did his other 12 opponents – step him up too far, and he might gas out again."

Itauma has already declared that the setback will only propel him to a bigger comeback as he continues to navigate a critical period of his career.

“I just think that knocking out a low-level man is different to knocking out a world-class man; different power, toughness, everything. It is totally different," Fury continued.

“It’s about getting the balance right. Get him in with somebody who is durable, not that dangerous, who can take punishment and give him the rounds. He needs to get used to getting the rounds in.”

Itauma came into the Hrgovic clash for a vacant IBF belt with just 14 fights and 31 rounds' pro experience under his belt; none of his fights had gone past the sixth round.

"I did it the traditional route, and it’s done like that for a reason," Fury said.

"I was 27 years old when I fought Wladimir Klitschko; I was a 10-1 underdog [but] I was ready. If I’d have fought him at 21, I’d have got knocked out, too.

"When you get knocked out in your first try at something, it takes a bit to come back from. You’ve got to show a real mentality, will and want to be a fighter after a performance like that when everything was going well for you."