A clash of the titans will unfold in Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena. It’s been seven months since Oleksandr Usyk walked into history and became the century’s first undisputed heavyweight champion. On Saturday, December 21, the Ukrainian titleholder will step into the ring to defend his title from Tyson Fury. Lining up on the undercard, a series of heavyweight fights precede their highly anticipated rematch.

But the Riyadh Season card has more to offer. While Ukraine-born Andrii Novytskyi will face Edgar Ramirez for the WBC international heavyweight title, unbeaten Londoner Johnny Fisher will take on Yorkshireman David Allen. However, many eyes will be on the clash between 19-year-old Moses Itauma and Demsey McKean. As the sport nears the end of the year, both fighters will be keen to leave their mark. A win could guarantee their elevation in the heavyweight rankings. Let’s check how the two fighters stand toe-to-toe against each other ahead of their bout on Saturday night.

Moses Itauma vs. Demsey McKean: Height, Reach, and Power: Comparing the Fighters’ Key Stats

Born on December 28, 2004, in the Slovakian town Kezmarok, Moses Itauma is two weeks short of his twentieth birthday. Standing 6 feet and 3 inches, or 191 centimeters, tall, the Chatham, Kent resident enjoys a reach of 79 inches or 200 centimeters. In comparison, Dempsey McKean, who turned 34 on September 25, boasts a height of 6 feet and 6 inches or 198 centimeters. The details about his reach, however, remain unavailable.

During his last fight against the Polish boxer Mariusz Wach, Moses Itauma registered a weight of 239.8 pounds. Though he suffered a career-first loss last year, weighing 245.5 pounds, Demsey McKean, on the other hand, stepped into the ring nearly two and a half pounds heavier than Filip Hrgovic.

Beginning his professional career on January 23 last year, Moses Itauma has so far participated in ten fights. He remains unbeaten, with 80% of his wins secured via early stoppages. Demsey McKean, on the other hand, is an eight-year pro-boxing veteran who has been through 23 bouts. Out of his 22 victories, 14 came through knockouts.

Moses Itauma vs. Demsey McKean: Who Has the Advantage?

With a 90% chance of winning the December 21 match, Moses Itauma enters the fight as a clear favorite. The visible tilt could be attributed to his youth, recent form, and a near-perfect output.

A very active fighter, Itauma fought for a record seven times last year. This year itself, with the McKean bout, he will be stepping into the ring for the fourth time. On May 18, Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk ‘Ring of Fire’ card, the young heavyweight, who many label as ‘Britain’s Mike Tyson’, defeated Ilja Mezencev and grabbed the vacant WBO intercontinental title. The first title defense against Wach appeared two months later.

What impresses everyone is the Slovakia-born boxer’s striking rate. Except for the two fights he won on points last year, Itauma has never allowed a match to go to the scorecards. What may be intimidating to some is the fact that Itauma often finishes his contests within the first two rounds.

One major concern surrounding Demsey McKean is the fact that he returns after a 14-month break following his loss to the Croatian Hrgovic. Prior to the match at the O2 Arena, McKean had been a very prolific fighter, entering the ring two to three times every year. This will also be the first time the Ipswich, Queensland-born fighter will compete at the Kingdom Arena.

Style Assessment

For a heavyweight boxer of his size, Moses Itauma surprises everyone with his quick movements. There’s a reason—his boxing inspiration has always been the magnetic Prince Naseem Hamed, Just like the former featherweight champion, who mesmerized the audience with his ring antics, Itauma relies on lightning-fast reflexes, snappy hand speed, and highly technical footwork to outbox the opponents.

Given his experience in other combat sports such as kickboxing and mixed martial arts, the more experienced Demsey McKean nevertheless possesses the instincts of a natural fighter. A southpaw like Itauma, he seems to have benefitted while acting as the sparring partner for Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. So it’s possible that he may bank on that experience to keep a heavy hitter like Itauma at bay.

As the Hrgovic fight showed, fighting from the outside, McKean often found himself pushed to the ropes. Using straight lefts, he usually works his way back to the ring center. However, against a highly mobile opponent like Itauma, will the tactic work? Then his defense has come under scrutiny. As he dropped his hands, McKean became a downright target for the Croat heavyweight’s searing crosses.

Given that none of his fights have gone the distance, Moses Itauma has nevertheless prepared himself for the possibility. He said, “I’ve never seen a seven-rounder, an eight-rounder, a nine-rounder, or a ten-rounder. But it’s not going to go ten. I don’t want it to go ten,” he emphasized.

Fans will now have to wait and see whether the soon-to-turn-twenty fighter lives up to his words.

It’s been a year of upsets in boxing. Do you think Demsey McKean has what it takes to pull off another one when he squares off against Moses Itauma in Riyadh?