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Ben Whittaker dreams of world fame, but he knows he can’t please everyone

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Ben Whittaker is excited about the future.

It’s strange to call your Saturday fight with Benjamin Gavazi (19-1, 13 KO) in Birmingham [10. p.m. GMT, DAZN] as the beginning of His second coming, but it has that impression.

You can see the anticipation in his eyes as he addresses a petite group of writers before returning to the ring, discussing all things Matchroom, his move to Ireland and the emotions of the last 12 months.

Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KO) is skillful, skillful, articulate and controversial.

The 28-year-old’s performances in the ring may confuse some people, but he attracts attention. He accepted that he couldn’t please everyone, especially in boxing, so why try?

No wonder Eddie Hearn, Olympic silver medalist and natural showman, pushed to sign Whittaker after the Tokyo Games but gave up when he settled on Boxxer and Ben Shalom’s Sky Sports. Speedy forward to October this year, Boxxer and Sky Sports went their separate ways, with Hearn finally finding his man and Whittaker signing with Matchroom.

Now the promos are over – their parody of the Jerry Maguire skit with Whittaker shouting “show me the money!” Hearn’s phone call went viral – it’s time to win fights.

“Activity,” Whittaker replies when asked about the selling price of his modern promoter. “I may have 3-4 fights next year, whereas my last promoter only had four fights he could do, so approximately when can I get there? It’s probably two fights for me, one headliner and one undercard. The position I’m in right now is not what I need.”

“I’m not a diva, I don’t mind being on the undercard or anywhere else as long as I can keep myself lively.”

Hearn has already hinted that he will take Whittaker to the United States early next year. His confidence and flashy style are probably better suited to American audiences. Whittaker says he loves fighting at home and insists British fans are “the best in the world”, but it’s not just the UK and US that are on the radar.

He thinks globally.

“I have a lot of stick here [UK]but I love it,” says Whittaker. “I have a good fan base in the US… Oddly enough, some of my biggest fans are Japan and Brazil. Eddie can take me to these weird places you would never get to.

It’s no wonder Whittaker is keen to move on after a tumultuous year.

He was heavily ridiculed following his draw with Liam Cameron in October 2024, when he was injured after falling off the ropes, leaving him unable to continue. He won the rematch by second-round knockout in April, but has not fought since. It was an emotional moment. Whittaker was criticized for the way he celebrated, but coach Andy Lee was quick to defend his player.

“Nobody can underestimate what this man has been through since his first fight,” Lee said.

“Mentally, the barrage of insults, the fact that he’s still standing there, not many could handle what he’s been through. He’s a champion. I’m not going to spend time with someone who isn’t worth it. This guy is the best person you’ll ever spend time with.”

It was enthusiastic support for an often misunderstood player from one of the best and most respected coaches in the sport. Saturday will be their second fight together and both are hopeful that their relationship will bring titles.

Whittaker is not antique, he is 28 years antique, but he knows he must take action soon if he is to fight for the lithe heavyweight titles, where there are gigantic opportunities waiting for him both at home and abroad.

Second coming or not, Whittaker watches games whether you like it or not.

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Boxing

Eddie Hearn fights for Katie Taylor in Croke Park

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Image: Eddie Hearn pushing for Katie Taylor retirement fight at Croke Park

“I just want to fight in Dublin to finish my career. Of course we’re still hoping for Croke Park, holding on to a little bit of hope that it will happen,” Taylor told RTE.

“Fighting my last fight in our most iconic arena. How special would that be? I think it would be absolutely extraordinary if I was able to do it. I’m not sure if it will happen or not. Either way, I will end my career here and I’m very excited about that.”

Taylor has only fought twice in Ireland as a professional, both fights will take place in 2023 against Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin. Cameron won her first fight by majority decision, handing Taylor the only defeat of her career, before Taylor regained the undisputed junior welterweight championship six months later in a rematch.

The 38-year-old Irish star remains one of the greatest fighters in women’s boxing history. Taylor won Olympic gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics before turning professional and quickly winning world titles in two categories. In 2019, she became the undisputed lightweight champion and later repeated the feat at 140 pounds.

Much of Taylor’s recent profile has been built on her rivalry with Amanda Serrano. Their first fight at Madison Square Garden in 2022 was widely celebrated and helped augment the visibility of women’s boxing. Taylor later completed the trilogy by majority vote in July, increasing her record to 25-1 (6 KO).

The possibility of saying goodbye to the stadium became the subject of interest for its long-time promoter. Hearn admitted it would take significant work to turn the idea into reality, but he believes this moment will be historic for Irish sport.

“It’s a hell of a lot of work to make sure one of the greatest athletes of all time fulfills her biggest dream. And I have to deliver Croke Park. I have to,” Hearn said on The Ariel Helwani Show.

“If I don’t give it my all, if I don’t put in every effort to make it happen, I won’t do justice to Katie and I won’t do it to myself. Because it would be the biggest sporting event in Irish history.”

Hearn said talks with Croke Park officials had taken place previously and had resumed as Taylor’s career came to an end.

“There is more momentum this time,” he said.

No opponent has been determined for Taylor’s last fight. Hearn said the focus remains on determining whether the stadium plan can be secured before making any player selections.

“Obviously you want to have an opponent who is compelling, competitive and has a story behind it,” Hearn said. “Nothing has really been discussed or said about the opponent. We are really trying to ensure that discussions with Croke Park allow for that possibility before we pursue it further.”

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Boxing

Gervonta Davis is close to returning to action, according to her opponent’s name

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Gervonta Davis close to securing comeback fight as opponent named

It looks like Gervonta Davis is one step away from confirming her return to the ring.

Davis last fought in March 2025, when he earned a majority draw with Lamont Roach to defend his WBA lightweight title.

It was a controversial result, with many feeling that Roach had done enough to get the nod, especially after a knockdown was not awarded in his favor after “Tank” voluntarily chose to take a knee in round nine.

The next 12 months left many in doubt as to whether Davis would return to play at all. A planned exhibition with Jake Paul in November has been canceled over the Baltimore man’s naming in a civil lawsuit over domestic allegations, the latest in a string of issues going beyond the ropes.

Another drama occurred after an arrest warrant was issued for “Tank”, citing similar accusations, which led to him being stripped of his WBA lightweight title.

Regardless, it looks like Davis is ready to make a comeback after this happened Reported by Mike Coppinger that he is in advanced talks about a fight with Isaac Cruz, the man whom “Tank” considered his number one target at the end of last year.

Davis has already secured a victory over Cruz, who last fought in December when he fought to a majority draw against former foe “Tank” Roach – a fighter he believes should be given a chance to face him again.

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Boxing

The fight between Luis Nery and John Riel Casimero will take place on April 18 in Kyrgyzstan

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Image: Luis Nery vs John Riel Casimero set for April 18 in Kyrgyzstan

Neither player holds a title and neither has been part of any real championship talk in recent seasons. Nery has already held the bantamweight and junior featherweight belts, although his recent appearances at featherweight have shown that the path up is confined. At 126 pounds, he looked undersized and unable to apply the same pressure that once carried him through lighter divisions, which makes a return to 122 pounds a more practical move.

Saikou x Lush Boxing will promote the event as part of a three-day boxing show in the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The gala will be held at the Gazprom Sports Convoluted, an extraordinary setting for two players who regularly appeared on larger international stages at the beginning of their careers.

Nery (37-2, 28 KO) will fight in Kyrgyzstan for the second time in a row after appearing there in October last year. The 31-year-old Mexican southpaw defeated Sathaporn Saart by technical decision in the eighth round after an accidental head collision put the fight on the scorecards.

The win was his second in a row since Naoya Inoue stopped him in the sixth round in May 2024. Nery made a comeback earlier in 2025, stopping Kyonosuke Kameda in the seventh round before extending his rebound stretch with a victory over Saart.

Casimero (35-5-1, 24 KOs), now 37, built his reputation by winning junior flyweight, flyweight and bantamweight titles early in his career. Activity has been confined and results inconsistent over the past few seasons, leading to him being 2-1-1 in his last four fights.

His last fight was in December, when he defeated Tom Mizokoshi in the fifth round in Japan. Two months earlier, he appeared at the same October gala in Kyrgyzstan, where Nery fought Saart and lost to Kameda by unanimous decision of ten rounds.

The April meeting brings together two former champions who once operated at the forefront of the sport’s lighter divisions. At this stage, it could be read as more of a veteran clash between recognizable names rather than a fight expected to impact the junior featherweight championship race.

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