Whittaker beat 'The Game' Jordan Grant at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on Saturday as he made a stunning return to the ring; light-heavyweight wants to become the most famous face in domestic boxing
Sunday 7 May 2023 22:45, UK
Ben Whittaker made a sensational return to action when he beat Jordan "the Game" Grant in Birmingham on Saturday night.
Whittaker had been sidelined since August as he recovered from injury, but he came back like he had never been away. At the Resorts World Arena, he was boxing close to his Darlaston home.
He had the crowd behind him as he made an extravagant ringwalk and continued the theatre with his showboating during the fight itself.
But apart from the swagger, the dancing, the crowd interaction, which all factored into Whittaker's exuberant showmanship, the Olympic silver medallist is also an extremely effective boxer.
Tall even for a light-heavyweight, he quickly found his range and timing. It saw Scotland's Grant miss with his shots, lunge out of position and leave himself vulnerable to rapid counter-punches.
"People don't want to fight him, but I did. It doesn't reflect badly [on me]," Grant told Sky Sports. "It's because he is so good.
"Fair play to him, respect. We'll move on. There's so many light-heavyweights in the division that I would beat. No one else wanted that fight but I took it. So that's the main thing.
"I really enjoyed the night and that's all I can say."
Whittaker also fought with one-shot punch-power. A stunning one-two dropped the Scotsman and a left hook to start off the third round closed the show.
"I knew he was a talent. I knew how good he was. You've seen the ability he has," Grant said.
"Fair play to him. I wish him the best in his career.
"I think he's a world champion in the making, 100 per cent."
Whittaker's potential is apparent for all to see. He wants to become 'the face' of British boxing. The signs so far are that he will be able to back up his confident predictions.
Promoter Ben Shalom told Sky Sports: "He's a character but we need characters in boxing and he's a character that's going to cross over to the mainstream and be a figurehead for boxing.
"He has everything to be that but also he's an extremely talented fighter. That's where his confidence comes from. He's fought all the way around the world, in a really tough division both in the amateurs and now in professional [boxing].
"He's excelled, but doing it in a way where people want to watch him fight, want to watch him speak, want to watch him come to a press conference. That's what makes a superstar. He is the full package.
"I think he's going to be headlining arenas. It's a big reason why we're in Birmingham. We believe he's going to be the face of British boxing but also be a huge star in the Midlands, massive in Wolverhampton. I see him headlining and selling out this arena over the next couple of years."
