Promoter Eddie Hearn views his new signee, Ben Whittaker, as already a “superstar” as he goes into Saturday’s debut as part of the Matchroom stable.
The light heavyweight fringe contender Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KOs) fights Benjamin Gavazi (19-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round fight on November 29th at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England.
Hearn recently scooped up the 28-year-old 2020 Olympic Silver medalist Whittaker after he left BoXXer. He feels he’s got the goods. Fans question whether the lanky 6’3″ Whittaker possesses the toughness to win a world title at 175, as they didn’t like what they saw in his collapse in his first fight with Liam Cameron in 2024.
“I do look at Ben Whittaker as a superstar of the sport. So, bringing him to the stable was a massive bonus,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to DAZN Boxing, still relishing his signing of 2020 Olympic silver medalist Ben Whittaker to Matchroom.
It would be interesting to see how Whittaker does against WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez or IBF, WBA, and WBO champion Dmitry Bivol.
“When you’re fighting a fighter like this, this is their chance. It’s their chance to change their life. He’s had 20 fights. He’s only lost one,” said Whittaker to Ariel Helwani’s YouTube channel, talking about his opponent, Benjamin Gavazi. “When they’ve got that hunger, they can be dangerous. They’ve got nothing to lose.
“But it’s down to me to come out there focused, treat it like a world title, and go about it accordingly. And that’s what I’ll do.
“Me mentioned me a couple of weeks ago, saying me and him would be a great fight down the line. It shows that I’m doing something right that they’re mentioning me already,” said Whittaker about David Benavidez saying he wants to fight him.