Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace: Jury out on British boxing's 'next superstar' after Itauma-style scare
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Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace: Jury out on British boxing's 'next superstar' after Itauma-style scare originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally came face to face in London, engaging in a surprisingly cordial launch press conference for their December 11 super fight in Cardiff, an uncomfortable question lurked in the background for British boxing.
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What's next?
Fury is 38, while Joshua will be 37 on fight night in the Welsh capital. Their easy manner with one another perhaps highlighted how the stakes aren't what they once were. Fury even referred to it as the cherry on the top of two fine careers enjoyed by a pair of two-time world heavyweight champions.
Joshua and Fury's era has also run in parallel with boxing gradually edging away from the mainstream, residing primarily on streaming platforms as soccer dominates in their homeland and the NFL and NBA swallow up attention in the U.S.
The conventional route to superstardom is very narrow nowadays. A social media sensation who can fight is potentially big business. Ben Whittaker, Britain's sparkling light heavyweight prospect, who tangled with Australian-based Irishman Conor Wallace in Birmingham on Saturday night, has 3.9 million Instagram followers – more than a million ahead of pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford – and is a naturally engaging, charismatic character.
MORE: Why is Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua in Cardiff?
"I don't really set out to do that. If it comes, it's nice, of course," he said, speaking to reporters this week about filling boxing's poster-boy vacuum. "People probably don't think I think like this, but it's career-based — I do what I came in here to do, which is world titles, secure my legacy and leave. But, of course, I've got a little something about me: I look good, I talk good, I fight good. If the popularity comes with it, you can't really rub that out.
"I think if you look at the names on the British fight scene, it is starting to fizzle down a little bit. You've got me, you've got Moses Itauma, probably one or two other names. So, I'm in a great position and it's about keeping winning. The more you keep winning, the more the brand builds and the more the show goes on."
During the final three rounds against Wallace at the National Exhibition Centre, Itauma's name loomed large. The blue-chip heavyweight prospect sparkled against Filip Hrgovic for the vast majority of his challenge for the vacant IBF heavyweight title, only to gas out spectacularly and be stopped in the ninth round. As Whittaker scrambled back and forth from the canvas in the final session of the scheduled 12 against the rugged Wallace, it was fair to wonder whether the show was about to be cancelled rather than go on.
Who won Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace?
Whittaker was awarded a deserved unanimous decision win over Wallace by margins of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 on the scorecards. The latter of those certainly felt too close. 'The Surgeon dominated the first nine rounds before being drilled by a southpaw left early in the 10th.
After recomposing himself fairly well during round 11, Whittaker's struggles threatened to become a full-blown crisis in the 12th. He went down to the canvas three times as both men grappled scrappily. The first of those was clearly under punches and he was very fortunate not to have a knockdown called. Referee Kieran McCann could also feasibly have taken a point off Whittaker for persistent holding.
Even with a knockdown and a point off in the final session, Whittaker would have won via majority decision, with only the 115-113 card closing up to an all square 113-113.
How good is Ben Whittaker?
The late drama should not obscure Whittaker's easy control of the action for the first three quarters of the contest. He combined the spiteful punching that has become part of his arsenal under coach Andy Lee, with the clowning and showboating that dominated his early career.
Whittaker conceded he wanted to put on a show for the home crowd and that almost caught up with him. "I was dominating every round. It got to a point probably where it was too easy, if I'm honest. I switched off," he said.
The defining image of the fight should have been Whittaker spearing jabs into Wallace's body. He mixed up the levels of his attacks superbly, while his capacity to spin off effortlessly and change the angles of offense and defense is a rare gift. Whittaker doing this in a mugging matador style – he is a student of boxing, who adores old Cuban masters – invites disdain and no little joy when an honest slugger like Wallace clocks him. It's all part a package that has now been roadtested over 12 hard rounds following a succession of early KOs.
Commentating for DAZN, British and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Pat Brown – a fellow graduate of the Team GB podium squad – spoke of Whittaker being in his "flow state", and insisted the flourishing tricks were a good sign until Wallace bashed him out of it. Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew was less complimentary.
"It's not good enough. It's quite simple: don't play with your food," Bellew told DAZN. "I think Ben Whittaker is arguably the best light heavyweight in the world over six rounds, but then he switches off. As he goes up the levels, he'll realise they're going to get you. He's got away with it tonight."
Whittaker is now 13-0-1 as a pro with nine knockouts. His late woes against Wallace brought to mind his problems under pressure during his messy draw against Liam Cameron, who he dispatched within two rounds of an April 2025 rematch.
Matchroom
Ben Whittaker next fight
Saturday's fight was a final eliminator for the IBF title, which is held by unified champion Dmitry Bivol. The Russian great is set to face Whittaker's compatriot Callum Smith on December 12.
Bivol next feels unlikely, and the evidence of the weekend suggests it would be unwise. At the same time, Whittaker is 29 after a decorated amateur career, so time is not entirely on his side.
His next contest must be picked astutely by promoter Eddie Hearn and the team at Matchroom, as it needs to bridge him towards world level and that mandated shot at the winner of Bivol vs. Smith, perhaps in the second half of 2027.
Wallace's late rally prompted both men to talk of a rematch afterwards. But the extent to which Whittaker dominated most of the fight before ticking the learning box of a minor crisis makes it worth pondering what else he might glean from a return.
A big domestic showdown within Britain's stacked 175-pound division is probably the way to go. The winner of the match-up between Joshua Buatsi, another ex-Olympian, and Willy Hutchinson on November 7 would make sense. That's a Queensberry show, but deals between Frank Warren and Hearn are easier to seal now that both promoters are operating on DAZN.
The unheralded Zak Chelli has been maddeningly left on the shelf since his shock win over David Morrell in May. We're more than a decade removed from the pair's amateur meetings, but Whittaker and Chelli met three times in the span of two months in 2015. Whittaker won the first on a split decision before Chelli bounced back with a pair of wins. It would be a very easy sell.