Light Heavyweight Prospect Ben Whittaker Seeking All-time Greatness
In July 2022, 3Kings Boxing featured British welterweight prospect Khalid Ali and talked about how the Brits believe he has the talent to go far. Another prospect from that country drawing rave reviews is light heavyweight Ben Whittaker (2-0, 1 KO).
A HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER FIGHTER
An Olympic silver medalist and star of the very successful Team Great Britain at the 2020 Olympics, the expectations are over the roof for the 25-year-old from West Bromwich, England. At those games, his performances were eye-catching. He was one of the standout fighters in that tournament and soon became a prized commodity for promoters and managers throughout the UK.
But it was BOXXER who won the Whittaker sweepstakes, signing him to a multi-fight promotional deal in May 2022. He also drew the attention of two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who signed the kid to his management company, 258 MGT.
Whittaker made his pro debut in July 2022 with a second-round knockout over Greg O’Neil. His second pro fight was in August 2022 on the undercard of Usyk – Joshua II. On that evening, Whittaker scored a six-round decision win over Petar Nosic.
Trained by the well-respected Sugar Hill Steward, Whittaker’s talent and athletic gifts are evident. At 6’3”, he’s very tall for the division. However, he’s not one of these unusually tall fighters who can be awkward and clumsy. On the contrary, the former Olympian is coordinated, fluid, and smooth. He never seems to be off-balance.
LOFTY EXPECTATIONS
At the Olympics and during his first two fights as a pro, Whittaker has shown a high level of skill and power. Yes, he’s flashy, but he’s also defensively responsible. His flair combined with a personality that seems built for the camera has many UK pundits believing he is destined for superstardom.
His team plans to keep him active and wants to move him up quickly through the ranks. During an interview with Sky Sports, the brash and confident Whittaker says he plans to go down as one of the all-time greats.
“I know I’m going to be a world champion. We’ll push that to the side because everybody says they want to be a world champion, but you have to believe it, and I will.
In this country, everyone always talks about Nigel Benn, (Chris) Eubank, this and that […] When my career is said and done, I want the country to say, ‘remember that Ben Whittaker, he was the best we ever had.”
With such lofty praise comes exceeding pressure. The spotlight on Whittaker will be heavy. This is a fighter who feels he’s the future of British boxing but is on the path to becoming an international sensation. Can and will he live up to the hype?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
