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Whittaker vs Buatsi order – will Hearn take the risk?

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Eddie Hearn congratulating Ben Whittaker after his win over Benjamin Gavazi

Promoter Eddie Hearn says he could let Ben Whittaker “take a chance” and fight Joshua Buatsi in a WBC-ordered featherlight heavyweight eliminator.

WBC forces Hearn’s hand

Hearn is not yet sure whether Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 KO) should fight Buatsi yet. He says yes “sooner than we expected.” The WBC ordered the event because Whittaker won the silver 175-pound title on November 29 with a first-round knockout victory over Benjamin Gavazi.

Whittaker’s 29-year-old – The era of prospects is over

Hearn is not saying how long he plans to continue working on 2020 Olympic silver medalist Whittaker. He will soon turn 29, which puts him at the same age as Hearn’s other player, Conor Benn, who he wants to replace his aging star Anthony Joshua.

Hearn needs someone to take over as his flagship player at Matchroom. In Whittaker’s case, it is questionable whether he will be able to win and retain world titles. We know we can beat players from the national league and players from the second league. He showed this against unranked lower tier players Liam Cameron and Gavazi.

The way Whittaker looked in his first fight with Cameron and the way he broke down in the 2020 Olympics against Arlen Lopez suggests he is incapable of winning world titles against any of the existing champions.

The Substantial Four still unnamed

Whittaker doesn’t look good enough to beat title challengers David Morrell, Imam Khataev, Arlen Lopez or Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Interestingly, Hearn never mentions these players when he talks about the “three tiers” of players that Whittaker has to go through. Mentions defenseless British fighters, but does not include The, the Substantial Four: Morrell, Khataev, Lopez and Gvozdyk.

Design errors everywhere

This is a red flag for Hearn, who is probably maneuvering Ben around them, treating them like a rocky obstacle that he controls barely seaworthy Whittaker nearby. At this point, the Ben has too many design flaws and is too flawed to be placed among the top competitors. If you throw the Whittaker into the ocean now, it will sink without a complete overhaul.

At Whittaker’s advanced age, this would have been possible. When a player is 30 years vintage, he is as good as he has ever been. You won’t see significant improvements that would take them to a level they were never designed for.

“According to the contract, we know he will fight in America in the spring, but sooner or later you will be involved in these fights,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. Stomping areas how Ben Whittaker was ordered to fight Joshua Buatsi for a WBC 175-pound title eliminator.

“There are three tiers. Bivol, Beterbiev, Benavidez, Callum, Yarde, Buatsi and then Dan Azeez, Craig Richards, Zach Parker, Willy Hutchinson. So you want to get through those tiers,” Hearn said, making it clear he would not take a risk by putting Whittaker in Buatsi.

National route option

If Hearn is going to burn Whittaker for the next two years, fighting British level fighters like Azeez, Richards, Parker and Hutchinson in the hope of improving him, he is wasting his time. He will simply be older, not better.

Robert Segal thinks Hearn will want to play for time with Whittaker. Compare him to lower-tier British fighters like those above, and wait until the aging Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev either retire or mature enough for Whittaker to beat them.

Uncredited: Morrell, Khataev, Arlen

In the case of David Benavidez, playing for time may result in him leaving the division and moving to cruiserweight. Once he’s gone, Hearn will have to worry about Whittaker’s flaws. The only people Hearn will have to worry about are Morrell, Khataev and Arlen. He already treats them as if they don’t exist. Logic suggests that these will still be people who cannot be mentioned.

If we take this fight [Buatsi for Whittaker]”, it’s sooner than we expected, but after this fight in America, maybe we’ll just do it,” Hearn said. “It’s a great fight and I think Ben will win it. Do you want to be 100% ready for these fights or do you want to take a risk? We really don’t have to take a risk with Ben Whittaker’s greatness.

I can’t wait to see who Hearn chooses for Whittaker’s next fight in America. This should be fun. Who is he digging to make Ben look like 24k gold? I’m already predicting that Minnesotan David Morrell will not be elected.

“We saw the numbers on DAZN and on social media. They were huge,” Hearn said of Whittaker’s viewing figures for his Matchroom debut against Benjamin Gavazi. “So we have one of the biggest stars in British boxing. At the moment Ben Whittaker and Conor Benn are behind Joshua and Tyson Fury; they are the biggest stars by a mile.”

Last update: 12/06/2025

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Joe Joyce announces his return to fighting more than a year after Filip Hrgović’s defeat

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Joe Joyce announces comeback fight over a year after Filip Hrgovic defeat

Joe Joyce will return to action against the undefeated heavyweight on July 11, marking his first fight under SugarHill head coach Steward.

The 40-year-old has not fought since April 2025, when he made a sturdy showing of himself before losing a unanimous decision to Filip Hrgovic. Joyce was scheduled to face fellow veteran Dillian Whyte and then face former world title challenger Hrgovic in a grueling 10-round fight when Whyte withdrew due to injury.

before, “Juggernaut” was rejected and scored unanimously by Derek Chisorawhich followed his 10th round victory over Kash Ali in 2024.

Hoping to get back into the win column, Joyce is now preparing to face Russian Artem Suslenkov in the Murat Gassiev vs Tony Yoka fight at Moscow’s VTB Arena.

After making contact with renowned trainer Steward, who is best known for his work with Tyson Fury, Joyce said he was looking forward to meeting the 30-year-old away.

“I have spent the last year preparing, training and wanting to get back into the ring. I am excited to go to Russia and fight for the WBA continental heavyweight title on July 11.

“Thank you IBA Pro for this opportunity. My team and I are locked in and Moscow should prepare for a great performance.”

Suslenkov boasts a professional record of 14-0 (9 KO), and most notably defeated Michael Hunter by eight-round unanimous decision in an IBA Pro match in 2024.

In the heavyweight division, the 6-foot-1 inch has also previously passed Christian Hammer and has stopped fights against Agron Smakici and Artur Mann each time.

Meanwhile, Joyce clearly wants to stay in the sport even after many called for him to retire following back-to-back losses to Zhilei Zhang in 2023.

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Adrien Broner raises fresh concerns during live broadcast

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Adrien Broner during recent live streams showing his physical condition and drinking habits

Adrien Broner has sparked fresh concern after another live broadcast showed the former four-weight world champion struggling physically while continuing to consume alcohol.

Broner is present every day on the 24/7 broadcasts with influential boxer DeenTheGreat, and alcohol is rarely off limits during broadcasts.

However, many viewers believe that drinking itself is no longer the biggest problem.

Recent broadcasts showed Broner swallowing drinks quickly, taking them from other people nearby and appearing to choke or nearly vomit on several occasions as he continued to drink.

Fresh care

Broner has never hidden his love of nightlife, and many people can drink regularly and still be in complete control.

What concerned some viewers was the increasingly perceptible physical effects of alcohol on the welterweight star in real time.

During recent shows, Broner has repeatedly appeared to be unwell after drinking alcohol, and moments where he appears to be on the verge of illness have become challenging for viewers to watch.

As WBN previously reported, Ryan Garcia publicly urged Broner to stop drinking after watching stream clips while Gervonta Davis was undergoing a health check.

The scenes have heightened concern around the boxer who once built his reputation on training camp discipline and maintaining excellent fitness for much of the year.

DeenTheGreat | Throw

Another picture

Other shows featured drunken calls by Floyd Mayweather and increasingly erratic moments.

For a fighter once seen as Mayweather’s successor and one of boxing’s brightest stars, the contrast is making headlines.

What started as a live-streaming venture that Broner thought would make him a millionaire again is now generating a very different reaction.

Broner continues to insist that he is rebuilding his life and finances through streaming.

But as more and more clips spread online, more and more people seem less interested in the entertainment value and more focused on the man at the center of the action.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.

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Bill Haney says Devin Haney is still developing at 27 years aged

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Image: Bill Haney Says Devin Haney Is Still Developing At 27

Haney has spent much of the last year being associated with some of boxing’s biggest names, including Ryan Garcia, Brian Norman Jr. and, most recently, Shakur Stevenson, amid reports that Zuffa Boxing is targeting big-name fights on its roster.

When asked about the future and the opportunities that will be available to players as up-to-date platforms enter the sport, Haney pointed to the long-term goals he still has for his son.

“At 27, Devin is still going forceful. He’s still heading towards, you know what I mean, boxer from Mount Rushmore. It’s still growing said Bill to MillCity Boxing.

Haney also shared a favorable opinion of Zuffa’s entry into boxing, suggesting that additional platforms could only benefit fighters looking to advance their careers.

“It’s a platform for the athlete to come through and that’s what it is, he really listens to his coach and his coach really looks at everything. I mean, it’s a great opportunity, man,” Bill said.

While critics continue to debate Devin Haney’s place in the sport’s elite, Bill believes his achievements have already earned him a place among boxing’s greatest fighters.

“Well, that would have to be difficult when you were talking to other Hall of Fame players and they were saying Devin was a Hall of Famer and they were saying you’re wrong. You never hear a Hall of Famer with his game,” Bill said.

“I think once they realize that and sit down, they’d like to have a career like Devin had.”

Haney’s comments come as Devin continues to consider his next move in a loaded welterweight division with several high-profile fights potentially available as boxing’s promotional landscape evolves.

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