Ringside Report: Ben Whittaker Stops Liam Cameron in Birmingham

Ringside Report: Ben Whittaker Stops Liam Cameron in Birmingham

If Ben Whittaker was feeling any pressure on Sunday night in Birmingham, he certainly didn’t show it in the ring. His promoter Ben Shalom promised a demolition job. And that was pretty much how it turned out.

Whittaker became the first fighter to stop Liam Cameron and demonstrated true star potential in their much-anticipated rematch. The critics and the scribes were all lined up, waiting to unleash words of a fallen star. An overhyped fighter who couldn’t replicate his amateur success in the professional ranks. But Whittaker proved all the doubters wrong as he delivered a statement-making performance when it was most needed.

Cameron lasted two rounds, a result not many saw coming. Whittaker was favoured to win, but most observers thought it would have to come on points. All the back-and-forth over ten rounds or twelve seem incredibly pointless now. Money wasted, perhaps, but Shalom won’t care now. One of the stars of his stable has shown why the demand for his signature on a professional career was so high.

Whittaker danced and landed enough punches without reply to win the opening round with some degree of comfort. Cameron advanced, but with little success. The Sheffield fighter had the cheers, Whittaker heavily got the bird from the crowd, but the boos had no effect on Whittaker.

It took one big explosive right hand from Whittaker in the 2nd round to make all the critics eat their words. Cameron was visibly hurt, and Whittaker went for the finish. The former Olympic silver medallist unleashed a barrage of punches, and the referee waved the fight off at the 1:53 mark of the round. There is the usual online fury about a perceived premature stoppage. It wasn’t.

Whittaker was under severe pressure heading into his rematch with Cameron. The emotional reaction that followed his win clearly showed that. But credit where credit is due, on a night where he had to deliver, he did. Whittaker didn’t just win. He won in some style.

The hook-up with Andy Lee has passed its first critical test. Whittaker will hope it’s the start of a working relationship that will help him deliver on all the hype when he first turned professional several years ago.

Ben Whittaker still has many questions to answer. A win over Liam Cameron doesn’t mean world titles are in his future. But for now, the manner of his performance suggests they could be.

Photo Credit: Lawrence Lustig/Boxxer