Ben Whittaker made sure that his Matchroom Boxing debut was quick tonight, leaving his showboating and polarizing behavior at home.
Birmingham’s native son was given another homecoming when he knocked out Benjamin Gavazi in a single round during his first appearance under the new promotion. Hearn is considered a perfect match and the pair have had an amazing start.
It wasn’t quite as nice for Gavazi, who was clearly hit harder than ever before in his career and knocked down within seconds. After the second knockdown, the fight was called off. It took Gavazi a little while to realize his surroundings.
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Ben Whittaker and Benjamin Gavazi results
Ben Whittaker’s showboating has made him infamous since he moved to the pros following his Olympic silver medal in Tokyo. But after switching Boxxer for Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom a few months ago, he decided to take a different tack tonight.
Ben Whittaker made a Matchroom Boxing debut last night. Dave Thompson Matchroom boxing
He blew away any doubters as he dominated his namesake Gavazi, sweeping past his jab and dropping him with an early right. The German continued to fight, which was perhaps not in his best interest as he was quickly knocked out and the fight was called off.
Gavazi was forced to take oxygen in the ring by medics but regained consciousness in time for official announcement. Hearn joked that now Whittaker’s highlight reels will actually feature a knockout instead of his many comical showboats.
Ben Whittaker’s bizarre style has attracted a large fan base
While Whittaker has the credentials of being an Olympic silver medalist and unbeaten pro, it’s his at times comical style that has caught the imagination of fans. He is notorious for showboating in an absurd manner, to the dismay of both his opponents and viewers.
Even if you don’t recognize his name or face, as a fight fan you have almost certainly seen him show off his footwork by dancing and stomping around the ring in viral videos. But he still hasn’t proven that he is a genuine world-level contender.
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2025-11-29 22:54:41
