Quiet, Bible-reading Moses Itauma boasts near-decapitating punching power and is on the cusp of greatness as he looks to emulate Mike Tyson – but here’s why Filip Hrgovic will NOT be a walkover, writes JEFF POWELL

I’m going to punch your nose bone into your brain.

So Mike Tyson spoke from the dark depths of his New York upbringing in the crack cocaine quarter of Brownsville by way of petrifying his opponents.

No weapon against you shall prosper. Every tongue which rises against you in judgement you shall condemn.

So Moses Itauma quotes biblically from Isaiah 54:17 before entering the ring.

As Itauma stands on the brink of becoming the second youngest world heavyweight champion in boxing history, so comparisons with the legend who still holds that distinction multiply.

Teddy Atlas, one-time trainer of Iron Mike whose motivational tools included a loaded gun pointed at Tyson in a changing room, is taken by a likeness in their near-decapitating power.

Itauma tries to bring his huge punching to bear against Croatian hard-man Filip Hrgovic in this Saturday night’s fight at London’s O2 for the vacant IBF world title. He does so grateful for the compliment, while stressing the variance in their personalities.

‘I’m flattered to hear that from such a respected figure in boxing,’ he says. ‘Of course I like being compared with the great Mike Tyson as a fighter. But we are different people. I’m not braggadocious. I don’t threaten or bad-mouth people. I respect all my opponents.’ Of whom all 14 have been beaten out of sight, 12 of them by knock-out, none lasting longer than six rounds.

By Itauma standards that is a lengthy statement. Mostly when asked questions about his growing reputation, his own potential for greatness, his thrilling impact on this business, the skills as well as the punching, his stock reply is: ’Honestly I don’t see myself that way.’ He usually adds: ‘I know I’m a young man, still learning.’

So young that if he defeats Hrgovic he will have come within two months of Tyson’s record as the youngest heavyweight champion. ‘I did have an ambition to be that man,’ he says. ‘But honestly it was only in the back of my mind. More important is how I develop.’

In this hard old game which is wearying of the faux-murderous ranting, table throwing and foul language – followed by brotherly love at the final bell – he is a quiet breath of fresh air. It is the pace at which Itauma is developing, at 21, which is the cause for real concern among the heavyweight fraternity.

Atlas speaks to his all-round abilities: ‘It’s not only the southpaw KO punch but the fast combinations, the balance, the reading of an opponent which gets him into position for maximum effect.’

Itauma’s trainer has no need of a pistol to encourage hard work on those qualities. He convinces by persuasion and reports: ‘Moses is a fast and eager learner.’

The young man himself attributes his professionalism and determination to his parents and how they brought him as a three-year-old from the small town of Kezmarok in Slovakia to the British naval port of Chatham. He credits his Nigerian father for his physical strength and his Slovak mother for his will-power. That blend exposed them to the Eastern European racism which obliged them to immigrate to the UK. Moses was the last of them to make the journey, waiting with an aunt while his parents scouted the land on England’s south coast and then sent for him to join them and his two brothers.

The gratitude of the family is to be seen by the Union Jack hung on the walls of their home. In return, the UK has acquired a working family and a potential world heavyweight champion. Perhaps even the undisputed heir to Oleksandr Usyk, more of whose vacated alpha-belts will come into Itauma’s sights if all goes well at the O2.

Not that Hrgovic should be taken at all lightly. At 34 the man from Zagreb is in his prime and until Moses came along was the most avoided heavyweight on the planet. He has frequently been passed over for deserved world title shots, while being fobbed off with ‘final eliminators.’

To their credit several of our heavies have risen to the challenge of the most highly rated fighter in Croatian ring history. He has mopped up Joe Joyce and cult figure Dave Allen.

The only defeat of his 21 fight career was inflicted by Daniel Dubois in one of those elimination bouts but he was ahead on points when he suffered the deep cuts which forced the eighth round stoppage. Notably, as it comes to Itauma, he has withstood the big punching of both Dubois and Joyce. As well as the renowned KO power of Chinese giant Zhilei Zhang.

Itauma, who has not come close to losing in his first 14 professional fights, knows Hrgovic will not roll over easily and declares himself ‘prepared for this one to go as long as it takes.’ But he does add: ‘I know that people don’t come to see heavyweights box to points decisions.’

The humorous Croatian has tweaked the Moses nerves by saying: ‘It will be good for his boxing soul when I give him the experience of a first defeat.’ Itauma’s unruffled answer: ‘Mike Tyson used that to rattle his opponents but it didn’t do them much good.’

Since 15 of Hrgovic’s 20 victories have been knock-outs the blood lust will be rising in a packed O2 in anticipation of a slugfest. As well as expectancy of confirmation that this Moses is on a journey to the undisputed crown.

That would require him making a successful first title defence against Cuban slugger Frank Sanchez, who was paid to step aside from his mandatory right to be in one of the corners this Saturday.

After that, fans, how about a good old-fashioned British barn-burner against the winner of the Dubois-Fabio Wardley rematch for the WBO belt? With whichever gladiator still standing going on to mop up the other two titles vacated by Usyk. The WBC and WBA held respectively by Germany’s Agit Kabayel and Russia’s Murat Gassiev.

Promoter Frank Warren may switch the order by saving his two youngest prodigies from fighting each other until they have bagged all the alpha belts between them. Which would keep them apart until late next year.

The prospect of Itauma coming out top of that pile would have seemed premature until he obliterated America’s Jermaine Franklin inside five rounds this March. Now the bookies quote him as the favourite against all-comers.

By the time all that is done and dusted, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua might have settled finally their longstanding differences so that one or other could provide a cross generational Wembley extravaganza. For which Itauma might still be just 22.

Teddy Atlas would expect nothing less than Itauma crushing AJ or The Gipsy King. Albeit by way of a variation on the Tyson theme. He explains: ‘Moses brings other dimensions. Movement. Positioning. Patience when needed if he doesn’t stop ‘em in the first round. And his KOs usually come from combinations. When he sees an opening he throws a lot of leather. He is a more complete boxer. But Mike is still boxing’s most pure one-hit knock out puncher.’

Hrgovic will provide the most severe test yet of Itauma’s finishing power and his punch resistance. If he passes, we may well be witnessing the start of something very big indeed.

Might even Oleksandr The Greatest of his generation have seen Moses coming when he dropped all those belts?

*Itauma v Hrgovic will be televised live on DAZN pay-per-view