Comments Thread For: Matchroom announce 'game changer' signing of Ben Whittaker

[BoxingUpdates]

Matchroom Boxing has captured the signature of Ben Whittaker, the light heavyweight who is one of the hottest properties in UK boxing.
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[Coverdale]

Good signing. Match him with Malik Zinad immediately.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Hearn is a much better fit for Whittaker than Shalom. Be interesting to see how they build him.

[M312]

Whittaker fits Matchroom much better than Boxxer. Eddie will hype him up to the max.

Promotional change is all good, BUT, ultimately he has a major problem... He doesn't have KO power and doesn't know how to fight off the front foot or put multiple punches to together often. His stamina is questionable too.

He really needs a trainer that teaches him to throw counters that his opponent can't see. Uses his feet like he uses his upper body and throw more punches on the front foot when he needs to.

Is Andy Lee that guy? I'm not sure he is, he seems very one dimensional. He's hyped up too right now, but he's not actually achieved a lot as a trainer. Ben needs someone more astute. Let's see.

[D.P.B II]

Whittaker fits Matchroom much better than Boxxer. Eddie will hype him up to the max.

Promotional change is all good, BUT, ultimately he has a major problem... He doesn't have KO power and doesn't know how to fight off the front foot or put multiple punches to together often. His stamina is questionable too.

He really needs a trainer that teaches him to throw counters that his opponent can't see. Uses his feet like he uses his upper body and throw more punches on the front foot when he needs to.

Is Andy Lee that guy? I'm not sure he is, he seems very one dimensional. He's hyped up too right now, but he's not actually achieved a lot as a trainer. Ben needs someone more astute. Let's see.

Whilst you absolutely make valid points which I don’t disagree with, I do feel like Andy Lee is the man to give Ben a good style and will sharpen up the deficiencies in Whittaker game. In fairness to Ben, he did stop his last opponent. However, moving up the levels has he got that 1punch power? No. Can he have enough sting to keep guys off him? I believe so.

i certainly see some massive shows he will headline in the future and could be a great thing for UK boxing. Him, Moses Itauma and Hamzah Sheeraz are the 3 leading the new wave, in my opinion.

[IronDanHamza]

Hearn is a much better fit for Whittaker than Shalom. Be interesting to see how they build him.

Going no where fast.

[M312]

Whilst you absolutely make valid points which I don’t disagree with, I do feel like Andy Lee is the man to give Ben a good style and will sharpen up the deficiencies in Whittaker game. In fairness to Ben, he did stop his last opponent. However, moving up the levels has he got that 1punch power? No. Can he have enough sting to keep guys off him? I believe so.

i certainly see some massive shows he will headline in the future and could be a great thing for UK boxing. Him, Moses Itauma and Hamzah Sheeraz are the 3 leading the new wave, in my opinion.

What makes you think Andy Lee is that guy though? He's been hyped up for his work with Tyson and Parker, but Tyson Fury was actually under Sugar Hill and Parker has arguably lost 3 times under Lee, including one absolute battering v Joe Joyce.

When we delve deeper in Parker and Lee, Parker is still very gunshy, he won't commit to punches and has become very safety first.

Is potshotting the direction Whittaker wants to go? Does he have the stamina and footwork to do that for 12 rounds?

I just don't think Lee is that guy. He's living in Manny's shadow and has a reputation built more from outside than inside the ring imo.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Going no where fast.

Yeah I expect he gets found out sooner rather than later. Will be interesting to see how they match him.

Reminds me of DeGale in the sense that he’s massively bought into his own hype despite glaring flaws. DeGale was a better fighter than Whittaker too.

[Nash out]

Hearn is a much better fit for Whittaker than Shalom. Be interesting to see how they build him.

He looks very flashy when allowed to, but has very limited power, and also, when dragged into a fight, he struggles. Any top guy deals with him handily. He could be a world champion for a limited period if they match him with a short time weak champion/weak contender for an open belt, but that's his ceiling. He won't be beating the highest regarded guys or putting on multiple title defences, more of a top 10/15 in a division kind of guy. Nash out - His Majesty