While eyeing Oleksandr Usyk’s unified title, Moses Itauma faces a familiar dilemma in boxing—a potential matchup against a fellow stablemate. As the number one contender in the WBO’s heavyweight rankings, Itauma could find himself in the position of lacing up against champion Fabio Wardley.

The complication is straightforward: both Itauma and Wardley are trained by Ben Davison. While the contender faces Jermaine Franklin next week, the WBO titleholder defends his belt against Daniel Dubois on a Queensberry-DAZN card set for May 9. If Itauma defeats Franklin, as most expect, and Wardley gets past Dubois, then the two could be on course for an uncomfortable in-house clash. Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Itauma outlined the only scenario that would allow the fight to happen.

“If I win, I fight the winner (Wardley vs. Dubois),” Moses Itauma said. “I mean, yeah, if Frank Warren allows it, they’re all cool Queensberry boys, isn’t it? Like, I guess it’s kind of Frank Warren. He has to open the gate for us to be able to. Obviously, if Fabio wins, then we’re at the same gym. It might be a bit awkward, but obviously, if Dubois wins, it’ll probably be more likely to happen.”

That answer led Helwani to ask whether the fighters themselves had discussed the possibility. Itauma made it clear that such a conversation had never taken place and suggested it could force one of them to leave Davison’s gym.

“No, never. It’s never been. It’s never been like a conversation,” Itauma replied. “I’ve got Jermaine Franklin; he’s got Daniel Dubois. I’ve never, never really fought Wardley as my opponent. Like, obviously, when he knocked out Justis Huni, like, everybody saw how excited and how happy I was for him. So it’s, I’ve never really seen him as an opponent.”

He later explained that Ben Davison has long insisted on maintaining a team-oriented environment at the gym, which is why they have never sparred.

Wardley, for his part, has acknowledged the same potential conflict.

Moses Itauma vs. Fabio Wardley – Brewing behind closed doors

This past October, during the lead-up to his interim title defense against Joseph Parker, the Suffolk-born champion admitted that a time could come when he would have to trade punches with the young contender.

“Not any time soon, I don’t think,” Wardley told The Ring. “If we are being honest, I still need to pick up a world title, and he still needs to do the same. Even then, there are still two more belts out there that we need to go and pick up. Then, maybe it’s a question for when everything is cleared up between the pair of us, maybe. But that’s not anytime soon; that’s quite far down the line, so it’s not a bone of contention right now.”

Viewed from the outside, the situation may appear complicated. Wardley has also pointed to the broader context – Ben Davison’s stable has been producing world champions at a steady rate, making internal clashes even more delicate.

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For now, however, both fighters must handle their immediate assignments. Itauma faces Franklin, while Wardley prepares for Dubois, and either man slipping would alter the trajectory. The broader heavyweight picture adds another layer, with Usyk making it clear that he intends to face the winner of Wardley vs. Dubois next before a potential trilogy bout with Tyson Fury.

If Usyk defeats Wardley, as many expect, a matchup with Itauma becomes a plausible next step. That possibility, however, appears distant, as the three-time undisputed champion has shown little indication of targeting the rising heavyweight star at this stage.