SUNDAY’S main event between Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron is now a 10-rounder after the Sheffield boxer agreed to updated terms. There had been contention about whether the contest would even go ahead after it was revealed that Boxxer had erroneously scheduled it for 12 rounds.
Earlier in the week, promoter Frank Warren said that the contract stipulated 12 rounds and a new deal would need to be brokered to change it, or else a legal situation would develop. Thankfully, that has been avoided as Head of Boxing at Queensberry, Lee Eaton, confirmed matters had been sorted out.
The two will collide in Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, in a rematch of their intriguingly controversial bout last October. Whittaker started off strongly in Riyadh but was visibly fading as Cameron’s experience told. A bizarre top rope flip ended the contest after five completed rounds, leaving Whittaker exiting the venue in a wheelchair.
Despite his clear talent and amateur credentials, Whittaker has only had eight fights and never contested a 12-rounder since turning pro. He won’t be now either. The whole scenario is not a good look for the house promoter Ben Shalom, who has at least managed to resolve the issues in time to save the Sky Sports headliner.
Whittaker has teamed up with new trainer Andy Lee as he looks to continue his ascent in the professional game. Grizzled Cameron is on the back end of his own career, which included a lengthy absence due to a positive drug test for trace amounts of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
Cameron has looked strong since his ring return and was exceeding expectations once again in the first Whittaker bout. If he can carry that form into the ring on Sunday, then things could get interesting – over 10 rounds, or less.
