Moses Itauma Stops Out-of-Shape Jermaine Franklin in Fifth Round of DAZN Main Event
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Manchester, UK (March 29th, 2026)– In the televised pay-per-view main event of an 11 bout card at Co-Op Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom on Saturday night, March 28, 2026, a massive and apparently out of shape 258 ½ pounds Jermaine Franklin took a horrific pounding for five rounds against Moses Itauma, getting dropped in the third round in a corner with a short overhead right hand shot to the to the head, before getting knocked out with a left uppercut followed by a right hand combination which sent him face first in center ring to the canvas knocked out.
The southpaw Itauma, 14-0 with 12 knockouts, Chatham, Kent, United Kingdom, retained the WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight title. Franklin fell to 24-3 with 15 knockouts, Saginaw, Michigan.
Franklin assumed a backup defensive posture, was mostly defensive with a few offensive misses, and took a beating for all five rounds. The bout was already lost for Franklin on the scorecards when referee Steve Gray waved it off at 1:33 of the fifth round. The initial left uppercut had Franklin knocked out on his feet. The split-second follow-up right hand to the head pitched Franklin unconscious face-first to the canvas, done for the night. Itauma boxed carefully, and boxes for points the first few rounds, slowly but surely cutting off the ring while building his confidence. With little or no offense, and taking serious punishment, Franklin eventually slowed down until he was caught with the Itauma left uppercut, followed by a right-hand power shot, which ended his night.
Ituama is clearly ready for better opposition. The only question is-what other major heavyweight will accept a bout with Itauma? At the moment, Itauma is steamrolling the heavyweight division.
Co-Op Live Arena Undercard Results in Manchester
Liam Davies Won by Referee’s Technical Decision 6 Francesco Grandelli, Featherweights
Davies wins WBO Inter-Continental and vacant EBU European Featherweight titles
Willy Hutchinson Won by a 10-round decision over Ezra Taylor, Light Heavyweights
Hutchinson won the vacant WBO Global regional Light Heavyweight title
Brad Pauls won by a ninth-round technical decision over Shakiel Thompson, Middleweights
Paul won the vacant IBF International Middleweight title
Gerome Warburton won by a 10-round decision over Nathan Heeney, Middleweights
Josh Holmes knocked Alex Murphy in the first round, Lightweights (3:09)
Murphy went down twice, second time down and out.
Michael Gomez Jr. won by third-round stoppage over Jordan Flynn, Lightweights (1:54)
Nelson Birchall won by technical stoppage in the ninth round over Ryan Griffiths, Featherweights
Birchall won the vacant BBBofC English Featherweight title
Billy Deniz Won by a six-round decision over Grant Dennis, Super Middleweights
Aadam Hamez won by a four-round decision over Michael Mooney, Super Lightweights
John Jow Carrigan stopped Danny Costello in three rounds, Super Welterweights
Opening Bout on Co-Op Arena card
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Robert Brizel – Head Boxing Correspondent