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.