Ben Whittaker says his movement, speed, and IQ are what set him apart from the top light heavyweights in the division following his first-round knockout win over Benjamin Gavazi last Saturday night at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England.
Speed and movement might not be enough for the 28-year-old Whittaker to overcome the big hitters in the 175-lb division. He’s got to have more than that to defeat the big dogs, like David Benavidez, Dmitry Bivol, and Artur Beterbiev.
The slick style that Ben showed last night and in his previous contest against Liam Cameron isn’t going to be enough to beat the top six sharks at 175. That’s not nearly enough. Those fighters would easily solve that junky fighting style and go right at Whittaker, just as Cuban Arlen Lopez did when he defeated him in the finals of the 2020 Olympics.
“I truly don’t believe no one can move like me, they don’t have the speed like me, and they don’t have the IQ like me at 175 [pounds],” Ben Whittaker said at the post-fight press conference after his win over
Whittaker looks outstanding, obliterating Gavazi (19-2, 13 KOs), but he wasn’t fighting a top 15-level fighter. This was just some guy brought in for showcase purposes. He looked so poor that Whittaker didn’t get much of an upsurge in popularity from his first-round knockout win. It had the reverse effect, with boxing fans seeing him being matched against a plumber to make him look better than he actually is.
“They can all bang, but I’ve got something different. It’s my 11th fight, and it’s all about the process,” said Whittaker.
The three-year pro Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 KOs) reminded the media and fans at the post-fight press conference that this was only his 11th fight.
