MOSES ITAUMA faces the biggest test of his life with his brothers in arms after helping hero sibling Karol overcome a career-ending heart attack.

Karol won Olympic gold at the 2018 Youth Olympics and turned professional two years later with high hopes.

NINTCHDBPICT001103167430Charles Itauma Jr, Karol, Moses and and Samuel Credit: Queensberry Promotions/Leigh Dawney NINTCHDBPICT001103167363Karol, left, had to retire from boxing after suffering a heart attack Credit: Queensberry Promotions

But after just 14 bouts and his baby bro growing on his undercards, the 25-year-old was forced to hang up his gloves after suffering a brush with death, far from the ring, in 2024.

It meant a lifetime of work was painfully stripped away but Moses – who once needed his big brother to get his career back on track – felt the strength of the family pull together and now takes that into his

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Opening up for the first time on the heartbreaking topic, Moses, 21, told SunSport in an exclusive interview : “You try to not make boxing your identity but let it be part of your identity.

“My brother had been boxing since he was 14 and had to retire when he was 24, so it’s been part of his life for so long.

“I don’t want to spill too much about my personal life but it was about trying to find somebody, or something, to try and identify with – or make something else part of your identity.

“I think us all being around made it easier for him.

“And I feel like, if I were ever come across that hurdle, I can say I’ve got confidence because of the systems that we had in place when my brother went through it.”

Karol – who has since launched the Club Eight health gym – has been a major part in helping guide Moses to the 14-0 career that

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And did the same, knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a thrilling encounter – the Brit was knocked down twice in the opening round.

Now fans are looking forward to Itauma’s return for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August.

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Illustration of two boxers, Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic, with their fight statistics for an IBF Heavyweight Title match.

But Moses revealed he almost threw his talent away during the Covid lockdown – when he stopped boxing and mixed with the wrong circles.

It was only after big brother Karol came up with the ingenious plan to pay Moses £1 for every kilometre he ran that the boy wonder got his life and career back on track.

Moses, 21, said: “I kind of started hanging around with the wrong crowd and probably started doing things I shouldn’t be doing.

“And then as my brother he saw me at McDonald’s or a Tesco or something like that that was right next to each other with the wrong party and he was like, ‘Oh, what are you doing around them?’

“He was like, ‘You ain’t gonna get nowhere.’ And I was like, ‘But I ain’t gonna get nowhere with boxing.’

“And then he was like, ‘I ain’t getting paid from boxing.’ So why am I doing it?’

“And then he was just like, ‘For every every kilometer you run I’ll give you a pound.’

“And then I just started running 10k, 15k whatever. And obviously my brother’s giving me £15, £12, £10. From doing those runs I got fit and I was like, ‘I might as well go to the gym again.’

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Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic face off for the IBF heavyweight world title

The stakes couldn’t be higher as will be crowned IBF heavyweight champ THIS SATURDAY!

Itauma, 21, has been shaking up the division since securing back-to-back round 1 knockouts in 2023.

Three years later, the Brit star continues to put opponents on the canvas,

And this weekend, Itauma can become the youngest British heavyweight champion of all time if he overcomes Hrgovic at the O2 Arena.

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“So then Lawrence Okolie invited me to spar him and then started getting paid and I was like, ‘Okay cool I’m starting to see the upside to this.'”

Karol, , added: “I guess it was just for me as an older brother to look out for him and try and route him in that right path again.

“We all know that family and your inner circle is the most important thing that one has. We are a close family and that’s how we want to keep it.”

might be the one in the ring terrorising opponents with freak speed and power – but he credits it all to his band of brothers.

He said: “I think one of the things that keeps me so grounded and in touch with reality is the fact that maybe since I was like 14 years old my whole circle agreed that this is what I’m gonna do. ‘You’re gonna be a boxer.’

“And every time I try to step out of that, my circle will probably be pushing me back into that so I guess they kind of showed me that I can’t slack off.

“I’ve got to do what I’ve always got to do and obviously I never would want to be in a position where half my brothers ain’t here for some weird reason and I can’t do it.

“But I would definitely not be here without them.”

Itauma has the chance to become the youngest heavyweight world champ since – who broke the record aged 20 in 1986.

And with Anthony Joshua, 36, and Tyson Fury, 38, finally set to commence their Battle of Britain before hopefully sailing off into the sunset – the Itauma era is ahead of us.