- A former world champion offered some sage advice to Whittaker after the fight
- Whittaker’s light heavyweight bout ended in a controversial split decision draw
- Sceptical boxing fans on social media questioned if Whittaker was actually hurt
Former featherweight world champion Billy Dib believes Ben Whittaker ‘can’t afford’ to take risks with his ‘flashy and flamboyant’ style amid a controversial end to his fight against Liam Cameron on Saturday.
Whittaker entered as the heavy favourite and started brightly but began to fade as Cameron found his range and timing.
The contest reached a bizarre conclusion in the fifth round when both fighters tumbled over the top rope as security rushed over to ensure neither man fell to the floor.
Although Cameron appeared unfazed by the bizarre scenes and hopped straight back to his feet, Whittaker was left worse for wear.
The Olympic silver medalist required attention on his right foot as ringside medical staff got to work.
Whittaker struggled to find his rhythm against Liam Cameron in their light heavyweight bout
The fight came to an end in the fifth round after both fighters tumbled over the top rope
Whittaker sustained an injury to his right foot and was sadly unable to continue fighting
Unfortunately the 27-year-old was unable to continue due to the injury and was wheeled back to his dressing room in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
However, because they had fought enough rounds, a result was still able to be gained from the judges’ scorecards.
One gave it 58-57 for Whittaker, another had it 58-57 for Cameron while the third had it a 58-58 draw, meaning the fight ended as a technical split decision draw.
It was the first of Whittaker’s nine professional bouts he looked to be in some strife given his lack of mid-fight showboating, a trait that had become somewhat of a trademark for the Brit in his previous fights.
However, Dib – a two-division world champion – believes it is something Whittaker may have to curb as the level of competition increases.
‘When I first turned pro, my style was flashy and flamboyant, but I quickly learned that as the competition gets tougher, you can’t afford to take those risks,’ Dib wrote on X.
‘I think Ben Whittaker could learn some valuable lessons from today’s draw.’
Although Dib offered a measured take, boxing fans on social media were nowhere near as kind, with many critiquing the fact he sought an early exit.
The 27-year-old was taken back to his dressing room in a wheelchair after the fight
Former world champion Billy Dib provided some sage advice for Whittaker in the aftermath
Dib felt Whittaker needed to curb the flashiness of his style to avoid taking unnecessary risks
One fan wrote on X: ‘Ben Whittaker has took the easy way out and nobody can tell me otherwise.’
Another posted: ‘If Ben Whittaker is the future of boxing then the asteroid can’t come soon enough.’
A third said: ‘Yeah Ben Whittaker is a joke man he knew what he was doing.’
Even British former IBF bantamweight world champion Stuart Hall tore into the West Midlander: ‘Ben Whitaker (sic) exposed BOTTLE JOB a*** has gone he wanted out’.
Some boxing fans even went as far as branding the West Midlander as Ben ‘Quittaker’.
It was the first of Whittaker’s professional fights he looked susceptible against an opponent
Fans on social media tore into Whittaker, with some believing he was looking for a way out
Others were equally scathing and do not have great hopes for Whittaker as a potential champ
One fan posted: ‘Ben Quittaker obviously could have carried on’.
Another added: ‘Ben Quittaker fought someone that has experience and wasn’t a can, got hurt and looked for a way out.’
Whittaker himself is yet to offer his verdict on the bout as the world awaits to learn the severity of his foot injury that rendered him unable to walk back to his dressing room.
However, Cameron was left seething at the ending.
‘He didn’t want no more,’ Cameron told DAZN.
‘He were very tired. He give me his last 30 seconds. He had nothing left. Kid was knackered from round two. But look, I definitely beat him.’