Ben Whittaker signs with Matchroom

[Taansend]

Bloody hell, Kugan will be wetting his knickers at the thought of Eddie & Ben's Youtube view count.

Well I hope Eddie keeps him busy. Been a bit of a wet blanket career so far in regards to how much hype there was.

Any chance of Whittaker v Hutchinson? In reality it might be a step too far right now but Ben's ego might go for it. Plus he'll be in his 30th year by next summer. He needs to get a move on.

That’s a good fight…..

A Tenner says all four gloves will be below waist level for 80% of the fight.

[JamesPhilips]

Bloody hell, Kugan will be wetting his knickers at the thought of Eddie & Ben's Youtube view count.

Well I hope Eddie keeps him busy. Been a bit of a wet blanket career so far in regards to how much hype there was.

Any chance of Whittaker v Hutchinson? In reality it might be a step too far right now but Ben's ego might go for it. Plus he'll be in his 30th year by next summer. He needs to get a move on.

That’s a good fight…..

A Tenner says all four gloves will be below waist level for 80% of the fight.

Lol

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ben Whittaker Explains Matchroom Switch, Insists He's World Title Ready Now

Ben Whittaker says he feels like he is preparing for his debut again after kicking off a ‘new chapter’ by signing for Matchroom.

The light-heavyweight was one of the stars of Ben Shalom's Boxxer stable but it was announced this week that Whittaker has jumped ship and linked up with Eddie Hearn.

It brings an end to his three-year alliance with Boxxer which involved the first 10 fights of his professional career and took him up to his victorious rematch with Liam Cameron, which ended inside two rounds in Birmingham on April 20.

Despite Shalom telling The Ring that he was in talks to arrange a headline show for Whittaker in Birmingham this November, the 28-year-old’s next fight will now take place on a Matchroom card.

“I’ve had 10 fights but I feel like it’s a debut again,” said Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KOs) during an interview on Matchroom's Youtube channel. “I feel like it’s a fresh start, a new chapter and a chapter that I needed. My next fight will be like my debut again.

“Things happen for a reason and we’ve aligned. What Eddie has got going on is great, he’s professional and I’m at a certain point in my career where I’ve got the platform, I just need the right route, the right fights and the titles and Matchroom can do it - so it made sense."

“I’ve only had 10 but I’ve learned a lot - I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in those 10 fights. I think that little bit of experience I’ve got from those will take me far.”

His victory over Cameron drew a line under a bitter rivalry which started when they controversially drew in Riyadh in October last year.

After five back-and-forth rounds, the pair tumbled over the top rope moments before the bell to end the fifth. Whittaker sustained an injury during the incident and was unable to continue, meaning the fight ended in a technical draw.

But Whittaker made no mistake in the rematch six months later having linked up with new trainer Andy Lee.

“I learned a lot from that fight,” Whittaker said. “I learned how good I truly am, what I should have done in the first one and that you can’t take your career for granted. My popularity grew so fast and everything was just happening at 100 miles per hour. I got a bit lost with it.

“But after that first fight I regrouped with Andy Lee, I really locked in, really focused and I showed you a serious me and a dangerous me.”

Whittaker, who recently entered the top 10 with the WBC, was also asked how far away from winning a world title in a division where Ring champion Dmitry Bivol holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles while David Benavidez holds the WBC belt.

He said: “Truthfully, if you ask me or you ask Andy, with what I’ve been doing in the gym, we’re ready now - but pro boxing is a business.

“For me, I just have to keep doing what I’m supposed to be doing in the gym. Eddie, Frank [Smith] and my manager can sort it out.

“I’m 28, I’m still young for the division and I have time on my side. For me it’s about putting them in front of me and I’ll beat them.”

[keithmoonhangover]

I think Matchroom are the prefect fit. Despite one ropey performance, I'm convinced he's going all the way to the top.

[tony1234]

I think Matchroom are the prefect fit. Despite one ropey performance, I'm convinced he's going all the way to the top.

It will be interesting to see how it goes, no publicity on the DAZN, no point trash talking if nobody there listening , if he stinks the place out in his next fight then what do they do ?

[keithmoonhangover]

I think Matchroom are the prefect fit. Despite one ropey performance, I'm convinced he's going all the way to the top.

It will be interesting to see how it goes, no publicity on the DAZN, no point trash talking if nobody there listening , if he stinks the place out in his next fight then what do they do ?

Match him better in the next fight and keep him winning. If he does go all the way, no one will remember a bad performance. I remember when Lennox looked really poor against Ossie Ocassio and Dan Murphy. At the time, a lot of people were giving him stick and I was convinced he was going all the way. Now no one remembers those two Lewis fights.

[Ruthless-RKO]

What do we think of this..

[Taansend]

I remember when Lennox looked really poor against Ossie Ocassio and Dan Murphy.

I saw Murphy get blasted out in about a minute by Oliver McCall

He was very ginger, if I remember rightly.

[Taansend]

What do we think of this..

I saw that online earlier & thought I was actually watching Jerry Maguire.

[tony1234]

Just can't see the big deal with him now, he's been exposed by Cameron and before that wasn't exactly looking good. More hype than anything at the moment

[Ruthless-RKO]

Just can't see the big deal with him now, he's been exposed by Cameron and before that wasn't exactly looking good. More hype than anything at the moment

Yh and the rematch with Cameron didn’t exactly tell us much.

[Oiky]

Not for me

[JamesPhilips]

Anyone know what kind of signing bonus he would get?

[Gran Hermano]

What do we think of this..

Dear lord, that’s about the most pathetic thing I’ve ever watched I think

[margaret thatcher]

I think Matchroom are the prefect fit. Despite one ropey performance, I'm convinced he's going all the way to the top.

tbh i dont think hes ever really looked that good in the pros, i think some people just assume he must be the biz because of the hype and am background, but nothing he's done as a professional backs that up. this guy is 28 with loads of am fights too, not a green kid. i dont think someone who is going all the way would have a meltdown and need 2 tries at that stage to beat cameron, i remember the likes of zach dunn doing it easily years ago

[JamesPhilips]

What do we think of this..

Dear lord, that’s about the most pathetic thing I’ve ever watched I think

[keithmoonhangover]

I think Matchroom are the prefect fit. Despite one ropey performance, I'm convinced he's going all the way to the top.

tbh i dont think hes ever really looked that good in the pros, i think some people just assume he must be the biz because of the hype and am background, but nothing he's done as a professional backs that up. this guy is 28 with loads of am fights too, not a green kid. i dont think someone who is going all the way would have a meltdown and need 2 tries at that stage to beat cameron, i remember the likes of zach dunn doing it easily years ago

I agree he hasn't looked great in the pros and he had a bad night at the office in the first Cameron fight. But I think that's exactly the wake up call he needed and we're going to see a lot more focused Whittaker going foward.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Who’s worse?

Benn or Whittaker? Haha

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ben Whittaker To Make Matchroom Debut Before End of 2025

Matchroom Boxing made a huge splash on Monday when they officially announced the signing of Ben Whittaker to a long-term promotional deal.

And if all goes according to plan, it won’t be long before the ascending light heavyweight and 2020 Olympic silver medalist steps into the ring for the first time under the guidance of Eddie Hearn. In an interview with The Ring’s Louis Hart, Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith said the plan is for Whittaker to fight before the end of the year, preferably as the headliner on one of its final three cards in 2025.

Smith added that Matchroom has cards planned for Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13.

“I think he has to headline,” Smith said. “He's at that stage of his career, but he's only 10 fights in. I think he's still got a lot of learning and progression. You’ve got to build him at the right pace, and that's what we'll aim to do. The key is about momentum now. He's going to have four fights in 14 months by the end of next year, and that's going to be key for his learning [and] his developing, especially under Andy Lee. You'll see him fight this year and then three big fights next year.”

The switch in promoters from Boxxer is the latest significant change for Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KOs). Whittaker, 28, hired former middleweight champion and renowned trainer Andy Lee ahead of his last fight, and the partnership paid immediate dividends, as he stopped Liam Cameron in the second round of their rematch on Apr. 20. In their first bout on Oct. 12 of last year, he struggled against Cameron (23-7-1, 10 KOs) before both fighters went over the top rope at the end of the fifth round, resulting in a Whittaker injury and the fight being ruled a technical draw.

While Whittaker, of West Bromwich, England, is ranked No. 9 by the WBC, No. 11 by the WBA and No. 13 by the IBF, Smith affirmed that his development will be the main priority at the outset of their partnership along with building his base in the UK before he potentially fights for the first time in the U.S. With the potential the dynamic and flashy Whittaker has already showcased, Smith believes the pairing with Matchroom is exactly what he needs to enter another stratosphere in every aspect of his career.

“He's the biggest commercial star and [has the] potential to go all the way to the top and become a global superstar,” Smith said. “He's got everything you need. He's got the ability in the ring. He delivers outside of the ring. He does everything that's needed. I'm so excited to be part of this journey with him. He literally can go all the way to the top.

"I think Matchroom [and] Ben Whittaker is a perfect pairing. I think Eddie [Hearn] and Ben Whittaker together, you saw it with that promo video, they're going to be spectacular together. I think we can take him all the way to the top. I believe he'll be with us for the rest of his career.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[tony1234]

If this had been before his pro debut I could understand the hype but he's been a pro for 3 years, gone the distance against journeymen and failed in his hardest test.

If I was Boxxer I'd be glad to have got rid of him

[coneye]

YAAAAWN , WHO CARES

[CaptainSpacerod]

What do we think of this..

Dear lord, that’s about the most pathetic thing I’ve ever watched I think

Absolutely cringeworthy. The “I love black people” segment was particularly crass

And yet it achieves its desired objective. Ben’s hubris was sufficiently annoying for me to hope that he loses his next fight and I’ll more likely than not tune in hoping to see just that.

1-0 to Eddie

[Horse]

He's crap.

[Taansend]

He's crap.

Ben or Eddie?

Or are we now doing the celebrity thing & merging their names?

Beddie