Ben Whittaker salutes the group on his technique to the ring on June 15 at Selhurst Park in London. (Picture credit score: Lawrence Lustig, BOXXER)
There was no showboating from Ben Whittaker on the Kingdom Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night time.
Liam Cameron didn’t give him an opportunity.
Olympic silver medallist Whittaker, 27, entered the 10-round gentle heavyweight struggle in opposition to seasoned veteran Cameron as a prohibitive favourite. Somebody ought to’ve informed the ex-Commonwealth champion that.
In typical Whittaker vogue, he began quick. His fast palms, flashy combos and stiff jab noticed him cruise by means of the primary spherical comfortably. However issues modified within the second.
Cameron, who hails from the metal metropolis of Sheffield in Yorkshire, started to time Whittaker. Regardless of having the slower palms, Cameron was capable of punch between Whittaker’s pictures. His high-glove protection was additionally efficient.
Whittaker pressed the motion within the third, however he struggled to pierce Cameron’s tight protection. In distinction, Cameron was capable of counter him cleanly. The left rip was a very potent weapon for the underdog.
By the fourth, Cameron was clearly in management. There was nothing flashy about his boxing, however he landed the cleaner, heavier blows and his protection was sound. In a telling second after the bell, Whittaker solely half raised his arms in victory as he returned to his nook.
Cameron went on with it within the fifth. Whittaker, clearly pissed off along with his cussed opponent, tried to assault the physique to sluggish Cameron down. Even these makes an attempt fell brief as he strayed low and drew a warning from the referee, who threatened to dock some extent if he punched under the belt once more.
Cameron locked up Whittaker in a clinch proper on the bell and bulled him into the ropes. Whittaker, from Darlaston within the West Midlands, held tight and leaned again. The duo toppled over the free ropes onto the ring apron, with safety speeding in to forestall them from falling onto the ground.
As they rolled their method again into the ring beneath the underside rope, Whittaker seemed to be in ache. He was helped again to his nook and had his proper boot eliminated after an obvious ankle damage. He did not reply the bell to begin the sixth and the struggle was despatched to the playing cards after the unintentional damage.
Whereas the scores had been being tallied, Whittaker was ferried again to the locker room in a wheelchair.
The judges scored the bout 58-57 for Whittaker, 58-57 Cameron, and 58-58, a technical choice break up draw.
“He didn’t need anymore,” stated a forlorn Cameron afterwards, who believed he did sufficient to get the nod.
Cameron strikes to 23-6-1 with 10 knockouts, whereas Whittaker hobbles away with a ledger that reads 8-0-1 with 5 knockouts. There’s little doubt there shall be a rematch.
