Ben Whittaker injury draws criticism in boxing world

Ben Whittaker’s fight with Liam Cameron took an unexpected and controversial turn in Riyadh, as the two fighters tumbled out of the ring in a chaotic fifth round. The match, which had been heating up, is called a technical draw when Whittaker is unable to continue due to an ankle injury sustained in the fall.

Whittaker, an Olympic silver medalist known for his flash and style, had started strong in the 10-round bout for the IBF International belt. In the opening round, he snapped off jabs and landed sharp crosses, keeping Cameron at bay. But as the fight wore on, Cameron began to adjust, finding his rhythm in the second round. He countered with heavy left hooks and started working through Whittaker’s defense. By the middle rounds, Cameron’s confidence was evident - he even taunted Whittaker, sticking his tongue out after blocking a combination.

It was clear Whittaker wasn’t having it all his way. While he landed some solid shots and marked Cameron around the eye, he wasn’t dictating the fight from the outside as expected. Instead, he got drawn into trading punches at close range, allowing Cameron to get in some damaging shots, including a heavy right that rattled Whittaker in the fifth.

Then came the turning point. As the fighters grappled near the ropes, Cameron walked Whittaker backward until, in a surreal moment, both men tumbled over the top rope and fell onto the ring apron. Whittaker came up injured, clutching his ankle. Unable to continue, the fight was brought to a close, with the scorecards showing a split decision draw. One judge had it 58-57 for Whittaker, another 58-57 for Cameron, and the third scored it 58-58.

Whittaker, visibly in pain, left the arena in a wheelchair, his night over in unexpected fashion. Cameron, however, wasn’t convinced. Furious with the draw, he suggested that Whittaker’s team had encouraged him to stay down after the fall.

“I felt like I was starting to get the better of him,” Cameron said after the fight. “It was getting tough for him. You could see it.”

Adding fuel to the fire, former cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson weighed in with his own thoughts after reviewing the replay. “Ben was getting tired. After a few rounds, I said if he keeps this up, he’s going to struggle in the second half,” Nelson remarked. “Now, I’m a huge fan of Ben, but I have to say, it didn’t look like that ankle hit anything. There needs to be an explanation, because it looked like he was trying to find a way out.”

The questions surrounding Whittaker’s injury remain as the boxing world buzzes with debate. Some accuse him of exaggerating the severity to avoid the later rounds, while others argue that his past performances and warrior mentality don’t align with such accusations.

But one thing is clear: what was supposed to be a battle for the IBF International belt is now marred by controversy, and Ben Whittaker has some questions to answer. The injury has left a sour taste for many, especially with Cameron’s growing momentum in the fight before the incident occurred.

Whittaker’s flashy entrance, which captured plenty of attention before the fight, seems like a distant memory now, eclipsed by the dramatic and contentious end to the night.