Ben Whittaker Signs with Matchroom

I was just thinking, if the old 5v5 idea was still likely to happen, there's no chance Matchroom would risk Whittaker as Queensberry would stick Buatsi in...

 

I haven't even seen a rumour for his next fight. So 4 months out the ring after a walk over job last time

 

ZUFFA

 

It was Turki who requested the 5 vs 5 and now he's with ZUFFA he probably won't want to pay for another 5 vs 5, so it probably won't happen again.

 

What happened to "US debut in early 2026"?

 

It's almost like Matchroom have purchased a dodgy car. It's got a spoiler, nice shinny rims and a loud exhaust, but when you take a closer look, all the components are all rusty and it's engine misfires.

I think most people in the know are starting to realise he's not as good as people had hoped, yes he has very flashy and creates great TikTok numbers, but he's not the best ticket seller out there and he's a long way off world championship material.

 

Another tough fight against the fearsome much avoided TBC

They clearly have bucket loads of faith in his ability!

 

If we had any real boxing journalists about they’d be pulling Eddie up on this the next time he’s interviewed but we all know that’ll not happen..

There’s probably something going on behind the scenes here for him to be so inactive imo

 

How the hell has Whittaker "earned" a WBC ranking of #3?

I see he won the vacant WBC Silver Belt but his record of opponents absolutely stinks.

The 1st real live fighter he faces, he is hitting the canvas.

Liam Cameron in the 1st fight almost had him out of there. Liam isn't exactly world level.

Smith, Buatsi, Yarde all fold him.

Sometimes, you think "The state of Boxing" and his #3 Ranking is one such moment.

 

Probably the best fighter Eddie has ever stolen from Frank

 

Hearn signing this guy with presumably a huge signing bonus was shocking. Whittaker is a man child who in the only tough fight of his career literally lay down and quit. He wants to perform on social media and be a celebrity. He'll have to be marched to the ring at gun point before he takes on a legitimate opponent. All this was known before Matchroom signed him.

 

Not too dissimilar to Tommy Fury in wanting to be a celebrity more than an actual serious boxer.

 

Whittaker was much improved in his last fight, much more focused on the job and without the show boating. Which is what he's going to have to do on the world level if he wants to operate there.

He has very quick hand speed and respectable but not murderous power.

The problem is he's not fighting anywhere near enough given where he is in his career. By the time he gets a world title fight he's going to be 30-31 years old and he's probably already in his prime now.

Even if he wins a world title, by time you considered unification your talking 32-33 years old. Seems to be a problem with British fighters, generally waste prime years fighting sub par opponents when they win a world title, or win in when beyond there prime.

 

The domestics Light Heavyweight scene is stacked right now too, so many good fights that could be made but they all show little interest in it really