DESPITE just 10 professional fights to his name, Ben Whittaker is fast becoming, if not already, one of British boxing’s biggest names. Now, after beginning a new chapter in his career, ‘The Surgeon’ is expected to headline a card next month.
Whittaker, 9-0-1 (6 KOs), claimed the Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020 and debuted professionally in 2022, signing with Boxxer and Ben Shalom and instantly capturing attention with his slick skills and polarising showboating.
Yet, last October, Whittaker’s momentum suffered a monumental blow when he and Liam Cameron toppled over the top rope, whilst many believed Cameron to be ahead on the cards, escaping the Riyadh ring with a controversial draw.
In April, the light-heavyweight duo ran it back, and Whittaker didn’t take long to right those wrongs, dispatching the South Yorkshireman within just two rounds of action.
Six months on and Whittaker has now announced a major move in his career, moving to work under Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn as he prepares to make the step up to the well-contested world level at 175lbs.
Following the viral announcement of Whittaker’s in-demand signature, Hearn appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show, where he beamed with pride and laid out his high expectations.
“I’m not signing Ben Whittaker just because he is a huge name and he has got a huge social media following. I’m signing him to become world champion at light-heavyweight and to be in those kinds of fights, of course against Callum [Smith], [Anthony] Yarde, [Joshua] Buatsi, but beyond that. That is the ability of this man.”
“He has done a great job of self-promoting, his social media numbers are insane but, me being the boxing fanatic, I am signing for what I believe he can be as a fighter – and that is an elite world champion.”
Hearn then went on to reveal his immediate plans for Whittaker to fight consistently at the world level, beginning with his Matchroom debut against a ‘top 15 opponent’ atop a card next month.
“[His debut] is going to be end of November, we will be announcing a new show shortly. Yes, [it will be in the United Kingdom]. We need to get him out quickly, I don’t want to wait until next year.
“We are looking for a top 15 guy in the world. Ben has been very inactive, he has still not really had that many fights at any kind of level, if I am honest.
“I am looking for two to three fights quickly, amongst that kind of world level, and then we start pushing him in with the names that I said; Willy Hutchinson and those kinds of guys, Buatsi, Yarde, obviously Callum [Smith] is our guy as well.”
Whittaker will headline in Birmingham for a second consecutive outing on Saturday, November 29, with names such as Conah Walker and Shabaz Masoud being touted to appear on the undercard.
