The FightPost Potential Stars of the Future: Harli Whitwell

The FightPost Potential Stars of the Future: Harli Whitwell

Women’s boxing has struggled somewhat of late. The peak of interest has dwindled, certainly to what it was only a few years ago. In many ways, with a few notable exceptions, progress stalled in 2024, and even world champions struggled to find what they needed. Certain promoters lost interest and downscaled their time and financial investment. But Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions saw something everyone else didn’t. MVP is assembling a stable of stars. Some might say Jake Paul has saved women’s boxing. They wouldn’t be that far off the mark. Where would it be without him? Paul is making some serious moves. It really is the place to be. But inside or outside of that MVP, the talent is there.

In the UK alone, there are the elite fighters of the modern era that still reside at the top of those ever-debatable pound-for-pound rankings. Ellie Scotney, Chantelle Cameron, and Lauren Price currently have or previously held multiple versions of the world title between them. Caroline Dubois could be a potential superstar of her sport. We also have the likes of Karriss Artingstall and Emma Dolan, who will, in the not-too-distant future, be challenging for world titles. But for the sport to thrive rather than merely survive, the female side of the sport badly needs the future generation to come through the ranks. With the right promotion and opportunity, those fighters are very much there. In a series of incoming features, I will highlight some of those fighters who could make that all-important breakthrough in the next twelve months.

I have already highlighted Jade Pearce, an unbeaten prospect who will likely be entering the title picture at some point in 2026. Pearce will probably be challenging for those titles at super-featherweight. But she might well face competition from Harli Whitwell.

The St. Ives fighter is currently recovering from a torn ACL, but once her rehabilitation is complete, Whitwell will look to pick up the pieces of a highly promising career. Unbeaten in five fights since turning professional in 2022, Whitwell was already well on her way to challenging for titles before accepting that her lingering ACL issues needed extensive surgery. But at 25, Whitwell has time on her side.

Whitwell hasn’t been seen inside a boxing ring since last April. In her first eight-rounder, Whitwell comprehensively outpointed the Polish import Karina Szmalenberg. But those ongoing knee issues have prevented Whitwell from building on that encouraging start to her professional career. But Harli Whitwell shouldn’t be forgotten.

In many ways, Whitwell can be compared to Mikaela Mayer from her super-featherweight days. High praise, but there are certain similarities.

Johnny Clark, who will co-manage Whitwell with her father Stephen, when she returns to action, has full conviction that he has a future star on his hands “Harli is a world champion in the making. I believe Harli will go all the way.”

Harli Whitwell will likely not be back until early 2026, but she will want to make up for lost time when that inevitable return materialises at some point in the new year. Whitwell has impressed in those five fights, and, like Clark says, Whitwell could very easily be a future world champion.