21-year-old American Vanhouter aims to become the next US heavyweight great
Boxing: 21-year-old American heavyweight Da'Mazion Vanhouter, who has won seven straight fights inside the distance, faces Ivan Balaz in London this Saturday. Promoter Dana White sees him as a future star for US boxing.
American heavyweight boxer Da'Mazion Vanhouter, aged 21, is being positioned as a possible next great US champion in professional boxing's heavyweight division. This Saturday he is scheduled to fight Ivan Balaz over eight rounds at the Copper Box Arena in London. The bout is on the undercard of Zuffa Boxing 12, headlined by Chris Billam-Smith against Cheavon Clarke, and is live on Sky Sports.
A fast-finishing record
Vanhouter turned professional at 17 and has had 13 fights. He has won his last seven bouts inside the distance, and nine of his 10 stoppage wins have come in the first round.
In his most recent fight, in Las Vegas against the 6ft 8in Raphael Akpejiori, his left shoulder appeared to be wrenched out of position. He responded at once by knocking Akpejiori out with his other hand. Vanhouter said it was a sharp pain in the moment and "wasn't too crazy".
From super-welterweight to heavyweight
As a teenager he boxed at super-welterweight. He has since put on nearly 80lbs. He says he fights in the same way, but is faster and hits harder.
The search for a US heavyweight
Over the past decade, with the exception of Deontay Wilder, European fighters have dominated the heavyweight division, prompting a search for America's next great heavyweight. Vanhouter said: "They already stopped looking. Because I'm already here." He cautioned against rushing, pointing to British prospect Moses Itauma, also 21, who unexpectedly lost to Filip Hrgovic in his first world title fight.
Saturday's bout is Vanhouter's fourth with Dana White's Zuffa Boxing promotion. White told Sky Sports that America needs heavyweights and that the promotion believes in him.
