Moses Itauma dispatched former NFL linebacker Mike Balogun inside two rounds on Saturday night.

The Chatham powerhouse put on a punch-perfect display at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro Arena, dropping Balogun three times en route to the eventual stoppage.

Itauma nailed Balogun to the canvas with a right check hook
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Itauma nailed Balogun to the canvas with a right check hookCredit: X – Queensberry Promotions
Itauma buckled Balogun’s knees with an early left straight before following up with the same shot to leave the American flat on his face.

To his credit, Balogun made his way back to his feet to see out the opening stanza.

But he was only delaying the inevitable.

Itauma decked Balogun again just 10 seconds into the second round, this time, with a sharp lead hook.#

The brave 41-year-old met the count at 9, and sensing he had nothing more than a puncher’s chance, Balogun came out swinging wildly.

As he desperately lunged forward, Itauma took a half step back and landed a perfectly timed check right hook to finally nail Balogun to the canvas.

It will no doubt go down as Itauma’s best knockout to date – and ringside footage shows the shot that ended Balogun’s night in unflinching detail.

Speaking in the immediate aftermath, Itauma said after improving to 12-0: “He is a tough cookie.

“I was catching him clean. Even that second one, I turned round and he was trying to get up.

“Fair play to him. I knew that this was his big chance.

Itauma dropped Balogun three times en route to the eventual stoppage
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Itauma dropped Balogun three times en route to the eventual stoppageCredit: Leigh Dawney / Queensberry

Itauma is now ranked No.1 by the WBO
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Itauma is now ranked No.1 by the WBOCredit: Leigh Dawney / Queensberry
“I’d like to appreciate Mike Balogun for taking this opportunity, because not a lot of people would.”

Itauma’s victory earned him a No.1 ranking with the WBO as sterner tests await.

Top-rated heavyweights Filip Hrgovic and Martin Bakole are two names in the running to box him next.

Discussing the possibility of fighting either man, Itauma said: “Martin Bakole, not so much, Filip Hrgovic, yes.

“The reason I say Martin Bakole no more is because Martin Bakole was a boogeyman, then he got knocked out by Joseph Parker, and it’s brought him back a bit.

“Then he didn’t have the best performance against Efe Ajagba, and that’s brought him back a little bit more.”