LONDON — Boxing promoter Frank Warren has cast doubt on Ben Whittaker’s ability to compete with IBF light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Whittaker secured his position as the mandatory challenger on Saturday after a unanimous decision victory (117-111, 116-112, 115-113) against Conor Wallace. While Whittaker controlled the opening 10 rounds, he faced significant pressure in the final stages of the fight, forcing him to rely on clinching to reach the final bell.
Speaking to Playbook Boxing, Warren offered a blunt assessment of a potential matchup between the two fighters. “Anyone who makes that fight should be reported to the NSPCC,” Warren said. “He’s a nice guy, good luck to him and Matchroom done a good job in promoting him — they got everybody talking about him — but you’ve got to have some substance and the substance at the end of the day just isn’t there.”
Whittaker’s recent performance, which saw him navigate a late scare to secure his IBF mandatory spot, has raised questions about his stamina at the championship level. Despite his status as the mandatory challenger for Bivol, Whittaker remains well-positioned within the WBC rankings. Bivol is currently scheduled to defend his unified light-heavyweight titles against Callum Smith in Russia this December.