Five potential opponents for Whittaker to face next.
Following his first-round annihilation of Braian Nahuel Suarez two weeks ago, it was announced that Ben Whittaker would be making his return to the ring–and in turn, his United States debut–on the Jaron Ennis vs. Xander Zayas undercard on the 27th of June.
This will give the British star his chance to shine across the pond and ultimately test his true crossover potential, something that all non-American names in the sport experience when they get to a certain level.
Over the years, we have seen the likes of Tyson Fury and Naseem Hamed overcome some pretty major scares to gain their first stateside victory, while it famously went disastrously wrong for Anthony Joshua.
If Whittaker is to be the next U.K. boxer to successfully crack the U.S., he will need the right type of opponent with the right type of ability. And given the stage of his career he’s at and the skill we know he possesses, it will have to make sense from a competitive perspective.
So, join us as we take a look at five potential opponents Whittaker may be facing when he takes his first professional step on American soil.
5. Demond Nicholson.
While it likely wouldn’t be met with great approval from the entire boxing public, a fight with Demond ‘D’Bestatit’ Nicholson (27-7-1, 23 KOs) would make some sense for Whittaker.
Firstly, it’s an American opponent. Secondly, Nicholson has a decent record and has fought recognisable names like Edgar Berlanga, Demetrius Andrade, and Christian Mbilli.
Nicholson is experienced and can certainly punch, and he is very familiar to U.S. audiences. But at the same time, his limitations are very clear and he most likely wouldn’t ask any questions of Whittaker we don’t already know the answers to.
So, for that reason, he’s here as a serviceable option and not the ideal one.
4. Roamer Alexis Angulo.
A Dominican-based Colombian, Roamer Alexis Angulo (29-4, 24 KOs) is a name that will definitely ring a bell for American fans who will recall his fight with Edgar Berlanga, his more recent bout with Umar Dzambekov, and his two title challenges against David Benavidez and Gilberto Ramírez.
Those are Angulo’s biggest fights, and he came up short on each occasion. However, it is the Benavidez loss that serves as the only time Angulo has been beaten by stoppage.
A heavy-handed foe with big-fight experience, Angulo certainly has a level of quality that could theoretically upend Whittaker’s aspirations of winning.
But it should also be mentioned that he is now 42 years old, something that nobody rooting for or against Whittaker will be able to ignore. And while he could look to be the quickest man to stop Angulo, Whittaker may not have much more to prove in a win here.
3. Ronald Gavril.
Romania’s Ronald ‘The Thrill’ Gavril (27-3, 22 KOs) is someone who is known as the person who David Benavidez beat to first become champion, an encounter which saw Gavril drop Benavidez and become the only fighter to date to win a card over him.
Their second fight was much less competitive, with Benavidez winning a practical shutout on the cards. However, Gavril has won 8 straight since that rematch.
Gavril has also never been stopped, which would give Whittaker extra incentive to put on an impressive showing. Though he will be 40 this July, Gavril has the right type of profile to be Whittaker’s next dance partner.
2. Deon Nicholson.
Since a fight with Artur Beterbiev on the David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde bill fell apart, Deon ‘The Equaliser’ Nicholson (22-1, 18 KOs) has been left without a big-name opponent to face.
His record certainly looks intimidating, but Nicholson’s one loss a three-round destruction at the hands of Efetobor Apochi.
Though that was up at cruiserweight, it remains the best opponent of Nicholson’s career. And as a result, it may tell us what type of ability he possesses.
But still, he makes a lot of sense as Whittaker’s next choice, and people are likely to see him as the right type of opponent for the popular Briton.
1. Jesse Hart.
Probably the opponent people have been mentioning the most, Jesse ‘Hard Work’ Hart (31-4, 25 KOs) is pretty much perfect for Whittaker’s debut in America.
An American who has gone the distance with Joe Smith Jr. and twice with Gilberto Ramírez, Hart also holds wins over Demond Nicholson and Sullivan Barrera.
While he has lost to the best he’s faced, last time out, Hart lost a debated decision to contender Khalil Coe. Many thought Hart did enough to win when they fought in January.
So, not only is he well-known to the American audience, but he is also coming off of a performance that certainly suggests he has plenty left to test Whittaker. He has also yet to lose inside the distance.
All in all, he would seem to be the right type of adversary for “The Surgeon”.
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