The young British boxer Ben Whittaker finds himself in a delicate condition following his troubled fight against Liam Cameron. Ben Shalom, the promoter of the event where he participated, described Whittaker’s defeat as “the turning point” in his career. Whittaker faced Cameron in an intense fight that took place on the card headlined by Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol.
The fight between the two ended unexpectedly when both fighters fell over the ropes and out of the ring. Whittaker took the worst of the fall, which left him seriously injured, forcing him to leave the ring in a wheelchair. As a result of the incident, he was diagnosed with neck and ankle injuries, which will require a lengthy recovery. The fall left him in worse condition than his opponent, and many are now calling for an immediate rematch.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Shalom spoke about the impact of that night, saying it was a frustrating experience for Whittaker. “It was a bad night for Ben,” he commented. “I have never seen Ben Whittaker perform like that.” According to Shalom, it was evident from the first round that Whittaker wasn’t in his best shape.
“I knew from the first round he wasn’t right. His energy levels, his timing, and he was getting hit with shots he never normally gets caught with,” Shalom noted. The promoter emphasized that Whittaker, with his usual mentality, should not have had trouble facing Cameron. However, he acknowledged that the unexpected pressure on Whittaker, who has become a recognized figure in the sport, may have affected his performance. “I feel for him in a way,” added Shalom. “He is in a bad way, and he is a perfectionist. He will make of this exactly what he should, and he will be back,” said Shalom.
As for Ben Whittaker’s return to the ring, Shalom confirmed that it won’t happen in 2024.
“He’s not going to fight this year,” he clarified. It was initially planned for him to return in December, but his injuries will keep him out until at least early next year. Whittaker is being evaluated in the UK and continues his rehabilitation.
For his part, Liam Cameron has wasted no time demanding an immediate rematch. The national fighter was critical of Ben Whittaker, accusing him of quitting the fight. In statements to talkSPORT, Cameron expressed his frustration with the outcome of the fight. “There was a game plan to slowly break him down,” he commented. “He was calling me slow and saying my body was like a potato. He said he was going to make me a meme, and now he’s the meme.”
The pressure for a rematch is also coming from fans and sports experts. Simon Jordan, talkSPORT presenter, is one of those advocating for Whittaker to take the rematch as soon as possible. Jordan pointed out that the best way to show Whittaker’s true level will be when he faces Cameron again and delivers the performance expected. “The way that you’ll know where Ben Whittaker is, is when he takes the rematch against Liam Cameron and does what he said he was going to do in the first fight,” said Jordan.
Ben Whittaker, who has so far been reluctant to make public statements, remains one of the most promising talents in British boxing. However, his career is at a critical moment, and his ability to recover from this setback could define his future in the sport.
Boxing Social is now on WhatsApp! Join our channel by clicking here and getting all the latest boxing news direct to your phone.