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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

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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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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Oleksandr Usyk is naming the heavyweight fight he wants after Rico Verhoeven

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Oleksandr Usyk names the heavyweight fight he wants after Rico Verhoeven

Oleksandr Usyk is taking Rico Verhoeven seriously, perhaps because he will face a bigger challenge later.

The elite southpaw will face kickboxing icon Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt in a fight focused on spectacle after years of hard-fought victories on the road. Even though Usyk has strayed from his usual matchmaking, he has now assured fans that they can expect a return to top-level championship boxing later.

Speaking on DAZN’s Inside the Ring, Usyk revealed that after the fight, his goal would be to become the undisputed heavyweight champion for a third time, with his primary goal being either Daniel Dubois or Fabio Wardley.

“For me it’s a real fight. Yes, Rico is not a good boxer, ok, nice fight, no problem, but I want my next fight [against the] Daniel Dubois and Wardley winner.”

Wardley was promoted from interim to full WBO champion when the Ukrainian vacated the belt rather than face him as mandatory challenger. His first defense against Dubois, scheduled for May 9 in Manchester, is perilous.

This is a legacy-based strategy that Usyk has used in the past, dropping the IBF belt to allow Dubois’ elevation, defending against Anthony Joshua, and then facing him to regain the belt. If “DDD” defeats Wardley, he could expect a trilogy fight, but fan interest may wane given how the first two fights went.

It all depends on whether Usyk retains his three titles. Although the fight for the WBC belt with Verhoeven is highly controversial, the IBF and WBA leagues have not been mentioned yet. The sanctioning authorities may well decide to declare a vacancy in their belts.

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