Ben Whittaker is officially the mandatory challenger for the IBF world title, but man, did he make us sweat for it! The 29-year-old British light-heavyweight snagged a points victory over Conor Wallace in Birmingham, pushing him a huge step closer to that championship belt. But let’s be real, after largely controlling the fight with his trademark showboating and superior skills, Whittaker almost let it all slip away in those brutal championship rounds. Seriously, it was that close to going sideways.
The Showboat Stumble That Almost Broke the Internet
Whittaker started this fight like he owned the place, and honestly, for a long stretch, he did. He rolled in with an extravagant entrance, string ensemble playing The Undertaker’s theme, then “Icon” by Karen, for crying out loud! The guy’s got flair, no doubt. He dominated much of the contest, even briefly staggering Wallace in the third round. But the 30-year-old Northern Irishman, Wallace, wasn’t going anywhere. His trainer, Andy Lee, even had to tell Whittaker to “Stay focused. Just because you’re comfortable, don’t get lazy,” after Wallace landed a heavy left in the sixth. That warning proved prophetic. The 10th round hit, and Wallace hurt Whittaker with a thudding southpaw left, then Whittaker walked onto a huge shot and looked in serious trouble. A major upset felt totally possible when Whittaker was visibly tiring and hit the canvas three times in the final round, although none were ruled knockdowns. The judges scored it 117-111, 116-112, and 115-113 for Whittaker, but those late scares mean it was way closer than those first two scorecards suggest.
What Ben Said, What’s Next, and a Rematch Request?
After extending his unbeaten professional record to 13 wins and one draw, Whittaker didn’t hold back, admitting his own antics got in the way. “It was too easy and I took my eye off the ball a little bit. He caught me with a good shot but that’s boxing,” Whittaker told reporters. He added, “When it got a bit too easy I was playing too much and doing silly antics,” and later, “I only have myself to blame.” That’s some honest talk right there, knowing he nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Wallace, who now has only two losses in 19 fights, was quick to call for an immediate rematch. Whittaker’s response? Straight to the point: “If he wants to run it back and get a beat down again he can. If not, we’ll move on.” Whittaker is now the mandatory challenger for Dmitry Bivol, the IBF, WBA ‘super’, and WBO champion. Bivol is expected to face Callum Smith in December, so Whittaker has to wait a bit, but that world title shot is definitely on the horizon. He just needs to make sure he keeps his eye on the ball for that one!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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