AS things stand, the duration of Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron’s rematch this Sunday remains in the balance, teetering between two possible outcomes.
The contract that both fighters signed several months ago stipulates that a 12-round contest is, much to the delight of Cameron, 23-6-1 (10 KOs), firmly on the cards.
Then again, while Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom insists that terms have been agreed for a 10-rounder, Cameron and his promoter, Queensberry boss Frank Warren, are seemingly left waiting for a revised contract.
Either way, Cameron will most likely be wearing a beaming grin across his face, knowing that, should he receive a pay bump, as promised, or enter a longer-distance fight, he has, in a sense, hit the jackpot.
Not long ago, the Sheffield man was fighting through far greater distractions. A battle with alcoholism, shortly followed by the tragic death of his step-daughter, only intensified his mental health issues during a time when, while serving a four-year ban, nothing seemed to matter.
Life had become a constant cycle of pain and suffering, with Cameron not so much focusing on his comeback but instead seeking to rediscover his former self.
Sure enough, that man – or rather, that mindset – was always just around the corner, almost as if to test the 34-year-old’s mettle which, by the way, happens to be one his greatest assets.
The mettle of Whittaker, 8-0-1 (5 KOs), on the other hand, was largely put to the test during their light-heavyweight encounter last October.
That night, more than anything, underlined the importance of playing to your strengths, something that the Olympic silver medallist, while attempting to produce a statement performance, ultimately abandoned.
Instead of adopting his usual, flashy style – remaining elusive yet spiteful while boxing on the outside – Whittaker made the bold mistake of trading with a seasoned veteran in the pocket.
In doing so, the 27-year-old made little use of his physical advantages and, as a direct result, found himself getting outworked through large spells of the contest.
Not only that but, for some, his stunning withdrawal after tumbling over the top rope has raised a series of doubts, mostly questioning whether he has what it takes to keep his head above the treacherous waters of professional boxing.
Someone who could put much of those questions to bed, however, is former world champion Andy Lee, whose credentials as a trainer only seem to be growing.
Whittaker, by his own admission, navigated through his last camp with little to no guidance – or structure, for that matter. But now, with a proven boxing brain in his corner, the necessary adjustments, from both a physical and mental perspective, should be firmly put on display come fight night.
So while Cameron, to every credit, put on a remarkable performance in their first fight, the refined style of Whittaker, now with the added bonus of Lee, is likely to deliver a more polished display at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England.
A points victory for ‘The Surgeon,’ therefore, seems a highly possible outcome, even if, after overcoming several moments of adversity, an extra six minutes of work is required.
