British heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma has been forced to reschedule his return to the ring after his scheduled bout with Jermaine Franklin was pushed back due to a training camp injury.
The 21-year-old was due to face the American at Manchester's Co-op Live on January 24, but the contest has now been rescheduled for March 28 at the same arena.
Queensberry Promotions confirmed the two-month setback.
They said: "Unfortunately Moses Itauma has sustained an injury in camp and therefore the Magnificent 7 show has been re-scheduled for March 28."
The precise nature of Itauma's injury remains undisclosed.
Itauma remains undefeated throughout his professional career, boasting an exceptional record of 13 victories, 11 by stoppage.
His most recent outing saw him demolish fellow Briton Dillian Whyte, a former world title challenger, in devastating fashion last August.
The rising star needed less than two minutes to dispatch Whyte in Saudi Arabia, ending the contest in the opening round and cementing his status as one of the division's most exciting talents.
British heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma has been forced to reschedule his return to the ring
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Nine consecutive wins have come inside the distance for Itauma, with six of those ending in the first round alone.
Franklin was specifically chosen as an opponent to provide Itauma with valuable ring time and experience of fighting into later rounds.
The 32-year-old American has demonstrated remarkable durability throughout his career, having never been stopped across 26 professional outings.
Despite suffering defeats to both Anthony Joshua in 2023 and Whyte the previous year, Franklin took both former world champions the full 12-round distance before losing on points.
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Nine consecutive wins have come inside the distance for Itauma
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Since those setbacks, he has strung together three consecutive victories, albeit against lesser-known opposition, bringing his overall record to 24 wins from 26 contests.
The path to a world title shot has become increasingly complex for the young Briton, with multiple options now on the table.
The WBA has mandated that Itauma face Murat Gassiev, who claimed the organisation's 'regular' belt after stopping Kubrat Pulev in December.
Additionally, boxing authorities have ordered a WBC final eliminator against fellow British fighter Lawrence Okolie.
The path to a world title shot has become increasingly complex for the young Briton
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Itauma's trainer, Ben Davison, has even expressed willingness to face undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
He told Sky Sports: "I would take it. It's a win-win.
"As much as Moses hasn't boxed anybody like Usyk, I don't think Usyk's boxed anybody like Moses."
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