Ben Whittaker left his divisive showboating at home tonight as he made sure his Matchroom Boxing bow was a quick one.
The Birmingham native got another homecoming at the National Exhibition Centre where he was able to viciously knock out Benjamin Gavazi within a round of his first outing under the new promotion. He and Eddie Hearn are viewed as a match made in heaven, and got off to a dream start.
It wasn’t quite as nice for Gavazi, who was clearly hit harder than ever before in his career and knocked down within seconds. The second drop saw the fight called off, and it took him a while to recognize his surroundings.
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Ben Whittaker vs Benjamin Gavazi result
Since making the move to the pros after winning Olympic silver in Tokyo, Ben Whittaker has become infamous for his showboating style. But after switching Boxxer for Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom a few months ago, he decided to take a different tack tonight.
He left doubters with nothing to say as he overpowered his namesake Gavazi with ease, brushing past his jab to drop him with a right early. The German insisted on continuing, perhaps to his detriment as he was quickly flattened and the fight was waved off.
Gavazi ended up needing oxygen from medics in the ring, but regained his bearings in time for the official decision. Hearn joked that now Whittaker’s highlight reels will actually feature a knockout instead of his many comical showboats.
Ben Whittaker has garnered massive fanbase with bizarre style
While Whittaker has the credentials of being an Olympic silver medalist and unbeaten pro, it’s his at times comical style that has caught the imagination of fans. He is known for showboating to an absurd degree, much to the frustration of opponents and viewers alike.
Even if you don’t recognize his name or face, as a fight fan you have almost certainly seen him show off his footwork by dancing and stomping around the ring in viral videos. However, he has yet to show himself as a legitimate world level contender in the pros.
Are you a fan of Ben Whittaker’s boxing style?
Many fans believe he does too much with his comical antics during fights, but what do you reckon, is he entertaining and good enough to warrant it?
Whittaker infamously struggled with Liam Cameron last year when he made his way to Saudi Arabia for the first time. He was knocked out of the ring by Cameron and suffered an injury, which resulted in the bout being called a technical draw.
However, he proved himself in their immediate rematch this April as he blasted Cameron out inside of two rounds.
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