As the heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk captivated boxing fans worldwide, a new star quietly took centre stage beneath the main event. Nineteen-year-old British prodigy Moses Itauma delivered yet another emphatic performance, stopping Germany’s Ilja Mezencev in just two rounds on the undercard at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. But beyond the ropes, a different kind of fight is brewing—one for control of the digital stage where rising stars like Itauma are forging their legacies.

The bout, streamed globally, was not just a showcase of Itauma’s explosive power but also a spotlight moment in the escalating competition among boxing video platforms. With DAZN promoting its next big card—Taylor vs. Catterall 2—and streamers jockeying for exclusive rights, Itauma’s demolition of Mezencev served as both a highlight and a high-stakes promotional tool. As fans turned to their screens for the Fury-Usyk event, Itauma’s first professional title win—the WBO Intercontinental heavyweight belt—became a viral moment, instantly dissected, shared, and clipped across competing digital channels.

Itauma, now 9-0 with seven stoppages, continues to draw comparisons to a young Mike Tyson, a comparison bolstered by his stated ambition to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history. With just over a year left to break that record, every appearance he makes is critical—and streaming platforms know it. His partnership with top trainer Ben Davison has only fueled the hype, adding polish to his raw power and making him a hot commodity not just in the ring, but in the rights market too.

Mezencev, though brave, was simply outclassed. After weathering a storm of heavy lefts in the first round, he crumpled in the second under a thunderous right hand, prompting referee Howard Foster to wave it off. It was the kind of performance fans replay—and platforms capitalize on.

As boxing increasingly shifts from traditional broadcasts to digital platforms, prospects like Itauma are becoming battlegrounds for streaming supremacy. Whoever controls the footage of his rise may well control a slice of boxing’s future. With DAZN, ESPN, and other players circling, the fight for the next generation of boxing icons may be as fierce behind the scenes as it is in the ring.