Harli Whitwell: The Comeback

Harli Whitwell: The Comeback

It’s difficult to know where Harli Whitwell would be in her career if she hadn’t been on the sidelines due to a serious knee injury. Surgery and extensive rehabilitation have kept the unbeaten super-featherweight prospect out of the ring since the Polish import Karina Szmalenberg was outpointed over eight rounds in Brentwood in April 2024. It was her fifth straight win since she turned professional in 2022. A highly-promising career going in the right direction, suddenly halted by injury.

But Whitwell is nearing a ring return. Arguably, one of the finest prospects around on the female side of the sport. Alongside the likes of Tiah-Mai Ayton, Hannah Robinson, Gemma Richardson, and her older sister Shona, Whitwell is part of a golden brigade of new talent that will safeguard the future of women’s boxing on the domestic scene.

Whitwell has been away from the sport for twenty months, but at 25, the unbeaten prospect has time on her side. “I will be back in the new year,” Whitwell told FightPost a few months ago. “Hopefully, nobody has forgotten about me. If they have, I will have to remind them.” Out of sight, out of mind, but a few gentle reminders when the comeback begins in the coming months should enable to make everyone to remember just how much potential she has.

Despite the long-term absence, Top Tier promoter Johnny Clark, who deserves immense credit for supporting women’s boxing in the UK, signed Whitwell to a co-management deal last year, knowing it could be a year before she fights again. “I signed Harli when she was injured. I believe in her that much.” A quote that says plenty.

After so long out, the initial opponents are likely to be a little way removed from championship quality, but Whitwell needs a couple of fights to shed the ring rust. But by the close of play of 2026, Harli Whitwell should be ready to challenge for the major titles. British and Commonwealth titles should be well within her reach. In truth, her ceiling is much higher than that.

Whitwell would be a natural for the bigger stage; Ben Shalom would be advised to have a little look. Now that Boxxer have got the BBC platform to work with, up-and-coming talent should be where he looks. Harli Whitwell has the look of a future star. Shalom could make a little gem of a signing with the Cambridgeshire fighter.

When she does return in the coming months, we are likely to see an even better version of a fighter who expects to be challenging for world titles in the next few years. “I want it more now than I ever did before.” Whitwell is looking to make up for lost time when she picks up the pieces of her career in the next few months.