Undefeated boxing star Ben Whittaker has vowed to bring boxing home ahead of his US debut this evening, while casting doubt on England's chances of winning the World Cup. The 29-year-old light heavyweight will face Richard Rivera on the undercard of Xander Zayas' super welterweight title defence against Jaron "Boots" Ennis.
Whittaker's US Debut and World Cup Timing
Whittaker's fight takes place just over an hour's drive from the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where England face Panama in their final group stage match later tonight. The boxer hopes to finish his fight quickly enough to catch the game, saying: "I'm just going there to get the job done. Catch a couple World Cup games after, but for me, it's just go out there, win, look good."
England's World Cup campaign began with a 4-2 victory over Croatia but was followed by a 0-0 draw with Ghana in Boston. They need a win against already-eliminated Panama to top their group.
Whittaker's Realistic View on England's Chances
While many England fans believe the national team can win the World Cup for the first time since 1966, Whittaker is more cautious. "If they get through, hopefully, I'll stay and watch them try and get through, but I don't know about that team sheet. I don't know if we're gonna get anywhere near the semis with that," he joked to Mirror Fighting.
He added: "There's a couple gems in there. I like my boy Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford, a couple of other players, but they left out some big players. I feel like Morgan Gibbs-White should have been in there."
British Boxers in America: A Mixed History
Whittaker is aware of the struggles British boxers have faced in the US. Anthony Joshua suffered his first professional defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden in 2019. Kell Brook was knocked out by Terence Crawford in Las Vegas in 2020. Amir Khan lost to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia in 2011 and 2012, and was knocked out by Canelo Alvarez in 2016.
However, Whittaker is undeterred by past results. "I just feel like some people are meant to be where they're supposed to be, and that's where I feel like I get the most love," he said. "Every time I've gone there, I feel kind of American, kind of weirdly. As a kid, I always used to watch the American fights. That's the fighters I used to study."
Whittaker's Familiarity with the US
Tonight marks Whittaker's first professional fight in the United States, but he is no stranger to the country. He has previously trained in Miami and Colorado and fought there as an amateur with Team GB. He plans to make a quick impact and edge closer to a world title shot. "It's good to go over this early. It's good to get used to it now, so then when I am there for maybe world titles, defending world titles, it's second nature," he explained.
