Murat Gassiev: Heavyweight has 'respect' for 'humble' Moses Itauma - but teases future fight after Tony Yoka clash

WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev has expressed his 'respect' for Moses Itauma while teasing that a future fight could soon be on the cards.

Gassiev is set to pursue his 34th professional victory when he faces Tony Yoka in Moscow on July 11. A win would preserve his status as the mandatory challenger - behind Agit Kabayel - for a shot at Super champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Itauma, though, was ordered to fight Gassiev by the WBA earlier in the year, but opted to fight American Jermaine Franklin at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester instead, against whom he scored an impressive fifth-round stoppage.

However, Gassiev remains open to a future clash with the British star, who is reportedly set to face Filip Hrgovic in London this August.