Buatsi, Yarde, Hutchinson eyed for Whittaker's next fight

Ben Whittaker could face Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yarde, or Willy Hutchinson next after his quick stoppage win in his U.S. debut last weekend. Promoter Eddie Hearn named all three Queensberry fighters as potential opposition for the 29-year-old Olympic silver medalist, who improved to 12-0-1 with nine knockouts by halting Rivera inside a round in Connecticut.

The performance drew criticism from those wanting to see Whittaker tested against elite competition, but Hearn defended the matchmaking after the post-fight press conference. Rivera had beaten Badou Jack in a disputed decision four years ago and talked confidently before the bout, only to get dropped by shots he never saw coming. "When you get hit like that, it doesn't matter what you come with," Hearn said, per The Ring. "No one was critical of the opponent [beforehand], he beat Badou Jack quite comfortably in my opinion and is a good fighter."

Strategic progression toward world title shot

Hearn made clear that Whittaker needs several ranked opponents before challenging the division's champions. The Matchroom boss ruled out jumping straight from Rivera to fighters like Dmitry Bivol, David Benavidez, or Artur Beterbiev. "You can't go from Rivera to Bivol and Benavidez, Beterbiev, there are two or three more in-between those guys," he said. "We have to go through the levels and understand he's still relatively inexperienced in the professional code."

Buatsi ranks third with the WBC for Benavidez's title and holds a 20-1 record with 13 knockouts. Yarde is a three-time title challenger, while Hutchinson also features in The Ring's top-10 rankings at 175 pounds. All three fight under Queensberry promotion, which could complicate negotiations but wouldn't rule out cross-promotional deals.

Whittaker is scheduled to headline a card in Birmingham this October. He credited his brother Jamie, his strength and conditioning coach, and trainer Andy Lee for the power he showed against Rivera. "There's a time and a place to sit down on shots, I'm still having fun but when it's there [the opportunity for a finish], I clean them out," Whittaker told reporters. The Birmingham native said he's leaving opponent selection to his team and expects to beat whoever they put in front of him next.

Source: ringmagazine.com