The 21-year-old has not put a foot wrong over the course of the first three years of his professional career, racking up 13 straight wins with 11 inside the distance.

He was supposed to usher in his fourth year by facing durable Franklin at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on January 24 but was forced to withdraw after he was injured during sparring.

However, the southpaw puncher has now revealed he did his best to push through the pain and did not fully understand the severity of the problem until an ultimatum from his promoter Frank Warren.

“When I first did it I was just trying to push through it, not realising what I had done,” Itauma said.

“I had a sparring session and that's when I'd done it. I said to Frank that I've done this, I've done that, and X, Y, Z, and then he told me to go get a scan. I was like 'no, I'll be alright, I'll be alright.'"

“I was trying my best to kind of recover a tear because I thought it was like a little niggle, as boxers we just carry on and push through it.


"Anyways, the next day I woke up and I was miles better but I wasn't fully recovered. Then a week or so later I thought I'll be ready to spar and I sparred, threw a punch and I just felt that something was not correct. So I told Frank that I've got the same problem and it’s not really going.

“He said, 'go get a scan, go get a scan, I won't let you fight unless you get a scan.' So obviously, then I got to get a scan and then obviously I had a grade two tear and it was me trying to push through it as if nothing's happened.”


On learning the result of the scan, Queensberry postponed the show for two months to allow Itauma to recover. He is expected to return to sparring next week before taking on Franklin at the same arena on March 28.

The injury means he has now not boxed since his 119-second blowout against Dillian Whyte in Riyadh on August 16 and this seven-month lay-off has been the longest of his career to date.

But there were few signs of frustration for Itauma who has instead had to fully focus on an exhaustive rehab programme.

“Honestly, I was trying to push through it not realising I had what I had done but I’ve overcome that obstacle now,” he added.

“Even running was difficult because of the motion, I felt it in my biceps. So it was just complete rehab. I was just doing rehab, rehab, rehab and then now we're here. 

“But I wouldn't call it a lay-off because I've still been in the gym. I've been in training camp for a long time now, so, yeah I do want to get in the ring, of course.”