Hearn discusses what could be next for Whittaker.
The instant Ben Whittaker turned professional, he divided opinion. Straight away, he drew comparisons to Naseem Hamed and Emanuel Augustus, falling into the category of “Marmite fighter”.
That’s because some just can’t get enough of him, but others already had way too much of him from the very beginning. That is the mark of a true showboat.
Whittaker, of course, knows this, and it’s a strength he has played to throughout his career. As a result, he has become one of the most popular boxers in the world.
He next appears on the Jaron Ennis vs. Xander Zayas undercard this Saturday, where he will take on Richard Rivera (who possesses the fun nickname of “Popeye the Sailor Man”) in the biggest test of his career.
Ahead of his step-up fight, though, promoter Eddie Hearn has spoken about the future of the British star.
“He’s gonna go [this Saturday], then in October [in England], and then he may go in December [or] January”, Hearn told The Ring. “But that would be the max before we’re taking big risks, because what you’ve gotta be really careful of–and this is what I like about ‘Bam’ [Jesse Rodríguez]–is you’ve got to be in these big fights when you’re in your absolute prime. You can’t let it pass you by. I feel Ben is now actually in his prime, so don’t wait and keep treading water for too long.
“That’s why ‘Bam’ is like, ‘Give it to me now’, and same with [Jaron Ennis]. But if you let these guys just go and tread water, they’ll end up going stale. I feel like that’s why with Ben, six months is all we need, really, until he’s a hundred percent ready for some of the biggest fights in the division.”
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