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Ben Whittaker could be on a collision course with Joshua Buatsi as he sharpens his skills for a world title fight.
The undefeated British competitor makes his US debut against Richard Rivera on the Xander Zayas vs. Jaron Ennis bill in New York on Sunday morning.
Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Whittaker is ‘three fights’ away from challenging for the light-heavyweight world titles, and a major domestic clash against fellow Englishman Buatsi or Scotland’s Willie Hutchinson could happen later this year.
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Ben Whittaker provided some outstanding showboating in his dominant win over Ezra Arenieka.
“I think me and Buatsi are kind of close,” Whittaker said Sky Sports. “I think we’re two and three in the WBC (rankings), so something like that could happen.
“And Willie, I’ve beaten him before in the amateurs, so it would be nice to get another win over him in the pros.
“But for me, who is next, who will make sense, who will take me where I need to go.”
WBA, WBO and IBF champion Dimitri Bivol returned with a points win over Michael Eifert last month, while WBC beltholder David Benavidez moved up to cruiserweight to defeat Gilberto Ramirez in a recent world title fight.
“Whoever’s got the most belts and who’s got the most money,” asked Whittaker when choosing a world champion he could face.
“But so far, Benavidez has moved up to cruiserweight, so if you want to say somebody, Bivel, of course, he’s got the most belts as well. But I think the fight that’s going to make a lot of money – the way it’s going – is me vs. Benavidez.”
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Jack Chely insists he does not see Ben Whittaker as his ‘competition’ and claims he has dismissed the Olympic silver medalist in past playing sessions
Outlining Whittaker’s plans, Hearn told Sky Sports: “Against those guys, maybe three more fights. They’re the elite of the elite, and when you fight them, you’ve got to be ready.
“So we’ve got Saturday night, and Whittaker will headline in October against a big household name, and then another, and then he’ll be ready for anybody in the division.”
One fighter Whittaker won’t be following is Londoner Jack Cheley, who claims he floored him in past playing sessions.
“They all call me, they all call me, but what I’m going to say is, when we were kids, who picked the Commonwealth (Games)? Your man himself,” Whittaker said.
Hearn (right) says Whittaker (left) is ‘three fights’ away from challenging for the light-heavyweight world titles
“Who got picked for Team GB over him? Your man, myself. Who went to the Olympics over me or him? Your man, himself. So, what I’m saying is, results don’t lie, baby.
“And they’re all calling me, but he knows his place.”
Could Josh Kelly be the next Jordan Ennis?
In the main event, Hearn called for Ennis to produce a dominant victory over Zayas that could pave the way for a world title unification fight against IBF super-welterweight champion Josh Kelly.
“If he wins this fight on Saturday and becomes the unified world champion, there are two other belt holders, Josh Kelly and Sebastian Fundora,” Hearn said. “He’ll want to chase those fights.
“He (Ennis) will try and be undisputed. Then he’ll go to 160 (pounds). Then I think he’ll go to 168 (pounds). So, yeah, I’m really excited to see him win.”
Watch MVPW-06 in Birmingham, headlined by Mikaela Mayer v Chantelle Cameron and starring Caroline Dubois, live on Sky Sports on August 29. Get Sky Sports or Boxing stream with no contract.
