Whittaker finalising deal to fight in final eliminator.
After Ben Whittaker’s dominant performance against Richard ‘Popeye the Sailor Man’ Rivera in his American debut on the Jaron Ennis vs. Xander Zayas undercard last month, fans all over the boxing world have been wanting to see him again, this time against an even tougher foe.
Now, finding opponents for Whittaker to fight is no issue. The light-heavyweight division is one of the most stacked weight classes in the world, even whilst not stepping outside of the United Kingdom.
And for a while, it has been ruled by the two-headed Russian hydra that is Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, twin suns that the rest of the class orbit around.
But of course, that won’t always be the case. Beterbiev is now 40 years old, while Bivol is approaching 36. Especially with the recent addition of David Benavidez to the 175-pound ranks, it’s clear someone will need to take the throne that will be so cold when they’re gone.
Could that “someone” possibly be Ben Whittaker?
Right now, it’s a bit too early to say. But with his flashy moves, showmanship, outspoken nature, and big online following, he has all the makings of a superstar.
If he can put all of that together, if his ability proves itself when it matters most? Then the world is his.
Recently, there have been strong rumours that Whittaker may be fighting in an IBF final eliminator next against Conor Wallace, the world-ranked Irishman based in Australia.
Now, though, reports state that a deal for the two to fight is currently being finalised, with the winner set to be the mandatory to Dmitry Bivol’s IBF title.
The fight is expected to be taking place on the 3rd of October in Whittaker’s home territory of Birmingham, England.
Ben Whittaker and Conor Wallace are finalising a deal for an IBF light heavyweight title eliminator on October 3rd in Birmingham, England, sources tell The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger. pic.twitter.com/Wm75zMVXVw
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 17, 2026
Want to get the latest boxing news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
