BEN WHITTAKER finally has a date locked in for his next outing, albeit against a fighter that even the most die-hard fans are most likely unfamiliar with.
It was announced earlier this month that the 28-year-old had inked a deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, hoping that the promotional outfit will steer him closer towards a shot at world honours.
Indeed, that does appear to be the plan, with his next fight, against little-known customer Benjamin Gavazi, designed to bolster his world ranking at 175lbs.
As of now, Whittaker, 9-0-1 (6 KOs), is ranked ninth with the WBC and 11th with the WBA, but with the WBC silver title on the line for November 29, it would seem that he is heading directly down the green and gold route.
Regardless of the minor belt up for grabs, though, Whittaker is likely over the moon to be headlining a Matchroom card at the NEC Birmingham next month.
His last outing, which took place under Ben Shalom’s Boxxer banner in April, saw ‘The Surgeon’ slice through Liam Cameron in just two rounds.
In doing so, he enjoyed a far more straightforward night’s work than what he was faced with in October 2024, back when their first encounter ended in a controversial draw.
As for Germany’s Gavazi, there is very little to suggest that he is anywhere near the Olympic silver medallist’s level, with all of his wins having arrived against equally obscure opposition.
Elsewhere on the Matchroom card, a more intriguing matchup, on paper at least, will see Gavin Gwynne and Cameron Vuong square off in an eagerly awaited rematch.
Their first encounter saw Vuong come away with a contentious points victory last November, but since then, the lightweight prospect has claimed a far more convincing seventh-round finish over Jordan Flynn.
