Ben Whittaker blows away Liam Cameron but courts controversy in re-match win

The Darlaston light-heavyweight delivered exactly the kind of performance he had promised six months on from their controversial first meeting in Saudi Arabia, which ended in a draw when both fighters fell over the top rope.

Whittaker had been the focus of considerable flak after that night but responded to the critics, some of whom were in attendance at Birmingham’s BP Pulse Arena on Sunday night, in perfect fashion.

A powerful right rocked Cameron and Whittaker swiftly moved in for the kill, referee Howard Foster jumping in to stop the contest one minute and 53 seconds into the second round with the Sheffield fighter about to go to the canvas.

It was the first time Cameron had been stopped in his career but immediately there was controversy as Whittaker celebrated wildly in the corner of his opponent, sticking his head between the rope and appearing to scream his rival’s training staff.

Whittaker eventually headed to his own corner, where he appeared to shed tears after an emotional win.

But in the post-fight interview with Sky Sports, he was forced to address the claim he had spat at Cameron’s team.

He said: “You heard everyone booing me. They are portraying me as the bad guy, I work very hard, my emotions came out.

“I was roaring like a lion, if a bit of dribble came out, a bit of dribble came out.

“But at the end of the day Jesus is King and he’s the one that put the right spirit in me tonight to perform like that.”

The Tokyo 2020 silver medallist knew his career was on the line heading into the bout but had cut a confident figure in the build-up, claiming he had rediscovered his focus under new trainer Andy Lee.

Both fighters took something from each other’s regions in their ring walks. Cameron came out to the sounds of UB40’s Can’t Help Falling in Live with You, while Whittaker was accompanied by the Sheffield Community Choir.

The Midlands man, who has become a born-again Christian in the months after the first fight, wore a robe with Jesus is King written on the back. Every member of his corner team had the same message on the back of their shirts.

It wasn’t all cheers for Whittaker. There were notable boos too.

When the action got away it was Whittaker who made the running in the first. While the first meeting had seen a surprising lack of his trademark showboating, it was evident early here when Cameron missed and ended up in the ropes, Whittaker turning to theatrically wave at the crowd.

That was playful yet there was no joke about the finish, albeit much of the post-match discussion focused on his immediate reaction to victory.

Whittaker’s performance capped an excellent night for Midlands boxing, with Sam Egginton, Tyler Denny and Troy Coleman also claiming big wins.

Eggington came through a tough battle with Lee Cutler to claim the WBC international silver super middleweight crown.

The 31-year-old, fighting in his 45th professional bout, claimed a unanimous decision on the cards after the contest was stopped by the doctor at the start of the ninth round with Eggington, cut above both eyes, deemed unable to continue.

In a scrappy affair, the Stoubridge boxer sustained the first cut above his right eye through a clash of heads in the second round.

Cutler, with 15 wins from 16 bouts, was then himself cut over the left eye in the fourth and it was Eggington who then seemed to be getting on top, particularly after rocking his opponent with a powerful right at the end of the fifth.

But it remained tight and neither side looked confident of victory when the fight was stopped.

Eggington ended up being the man with his arm raised, taking the fight 88-87, 87-85, 90-83. The margin of victory on the last card was something of a surprise.

Eggington told Sky Sports at ringside after his 36th career win: “I genuinely fight I had won the fight clearly.

“Maybe I dropped a couple of rounds by being daft and leaning back against the ropes. But I thought I was winning.”

Denny got back to winning ways with an impressive points win over Elvis Ahorgah.

The 33-year-old, fighting for the first time since losing his European middleweight title inside two rounds to Hamzah Sheeraz at Wembley Stadium seven months ago, boxed nicely in the face of some none too subtle provocation from his rather eccentric opponent.

Ahorgah had his moments but it was Denny who landed the more telling shots throughout, sending the Ghanaian to the canvas with a swinging right in the seventh round.

The Rowley Regis fighter took the decision 97-92 on the referee’s scorecard. 

The night began with a big win for Burntwood’s Troy Coleman, who defended his Midlands Area middleweight title with a stunning seventh round stoppage of Coventry’s Bradley Goldsmith.

Coleman was struggling to make an impact and appeared in trouble during the sixth round, withstanding a barrage of punches from his opponent.

But a solid right-hand straight down the pipe in the final 10 seconds changed the course of the fight completely.

Coleman’s corner were fuming at the referee failing to award a knockdown when the previously unbeaten Goldsmith went to the canvas at the bell.

Yet it only delayed the finish, with Coleman jumping on his opponent from the start of the next round and the referee eventually stepping in one minute and 21 seconds in.