Calls For X-Rays Put Ben Whittaker’s Injury In Question
Spencer Oliver has called on Ben Whittaker to produce X-rays to prove that he was injured during his fight against Liam Cameron.
Whittaker and Cameron boxed on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol card. Ben entered the fight as a massive favorite. He talked a big game, saying he would make Cameron look like a meme. Whittaker is considered one of the rising stars in British boxing in the light heavyweight division, primarily due to his fighting style. He is known for his showboating, which has resulted in praise and criticism, drawing comparisons with the legendary fighter Prince Naseem.
However, when it came to fighting Cameron, Whittaker looked far from his best. Cameron was outboxing the Brit. He began to impose his power and size on Whittaker before the fifth round changed things. Cameron leaned on Whitaker as the two fighters fell out of the ring. Cameron got back up and made his way to the corner while Whittaker stayed down. Medical personnel surrounded Whittaker as he was later taken out of the arena in a wheelchair.
Oliver Reacts
The result was subsequently declared a split decision technical draw. However, some in the boxing community are not convinced by Whittaker’s actions. There is a perception that he was looking for a way out of the fight, something which Cameron made clear. This has also transcended into the perception on social media. Oliver has now responded by demanding that Whittaker provide X-rays, showing he had an injury, to remove all doubt.
“I said, ‘We need to see the X-rays. On the surface of it, he could have swallowed. He was exposed in many ways on that night. It started going horribly wrong for him, and you thought, ‘Where is that technical ability to turn it back around? Ben Whittaker needs to show the evidence, the X-rays, to show that he actually has [an injury]. If he doesn’t do that, it’s going to be a big jury out. We were talking about him being a superstar. He had everything it took outside of the ring, inside the ring,” Oliveira said
Whittaker’s Future
This places Whitaker in a very difficult position. If the X-rays prove that he did not sustain any injuries, it will increase the narrative that he quit. Even if they do show that there was some form of injury, fighters are known for boxing through the pain. Frazer Clarke did this when he faced off against Fabio Wardley on the same card. He was knocked out in the first round.
However, he managed to walk up and leave the arena despite having broken his jaw. There is also increased pressure on Whittaker to take the rematch. If Whitaker does take the rematch, Cameron knows that he can get the better of him. It also means that a defeat will bring his rising career to a halt, especially since he was targeting future fights with the likes of Beterbiev and Bivol. That has left Whittaker with plenty to ponder moving forward.
“Cameron was winning the fight. I think Ben got away really lightly with the score. Was he exposed, and did he swallow it? He sort of unraveled really quickly. He got dragged into a dog fight. In the fifth round, when they were against the ropes, it was like a WWE. He pulled him out of the ring,” Oliver added
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