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Boxing
Who is Mike Balogun? Meet the NFL convert hoping to upset the odds against Moses Itauma
Watch Taylor vs Essuman live on Saturday on DAZN
Moses Itauma will enter the ring for the first time this year when he takes on Mike Balogun at the OVO Hydro Arena tomorrow night on the Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman undercard .
After a short battle with injury, Itauma will be looking to extend his record to twelve fights unbeaten. But he has his work cut out for him against a very tough opponent who has only been beaten once as a pro.
Who is Mike Balogun?
Balogun begun his career as an athlete in American Football, playing in college before being signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2010 as an undrafted free agent.
As a linebacker, the American heavyweight also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Buffalo Bills, and the Dallas Cowboys.
After his NFL career came to an end in 2012, Balogun turned his hand to boxing and made his professional debut aged 30 in 2014.
- Nationality : American
- Age : 41
- Height : 6’ 1”
- Stance : Southpaw
What is Mike Balogun’s record?
Balogun won eight of his first ten professional fights via knockout, mostly fighting in small halls in the US.
The most notable win of Balogun’s career so far is a first-round knockout of the previously undefeated Trey Lippe, the son of late heavyweight legend Tommy Morrison, in 2021.
After this statement win, the former linebacker claimed two further knockout wins over Sergio Ramirez Marin and Marcus Oliveira in 2022 before his first fight against a recognised world title level fighter.
In 2023, Balogun faced the former cruiserweight champion and dance partner of Oleksandr Usyk, Murat Gassiev, who had made moved to heavyweight.
Gassiev knocked out Balogun in the second round, giving him his first career loss.
- Total fights : 2
- Wins : 21
- Losses : 1
- Knockouts : 16
When is Mike Balogun’s next fight?
The American will step into the ring tomorrow night on the Taylor vs Essuman undercard in Glasgow in the hopes of getting a win over Itauma to boost his profile in the late stages of his career at 41.
Balogun does not see himself as a stepping stone for Itauma who cannot afford to underestimate his hard-hitting foe.
He told BoxingScene : "I’m no pushover; never been one. I’ve always been the one who steps up to challenges and comes out on top. I don’t see this as any different.”
Watch the full Taylor vs Essuman card live on DAZN on Saturday with coverage starting at 7pm BST .
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