Boxing’s biggest showboater... and he’s ours!
BEN WHITTAKER is flash, flamboyant and ready to dazzle the world with his twinkle toes
WHETHER he’s spinning around on one leg, engaging with the audience mid-fight or walking to the ring with a bunch of ballerinas, Ben Whittaker’s captivating presence in the boxing world is undeniable.
Emulating the extravagant style of Prince Naseem Hamed, Whittaker has become a household name and garnered an impressive one million Instagram followers despite having just seven professional fights.
But, beneath the ostentatious ring walks and flamboyant showboating lies a deeper story — one of vulnerability and authenticity. A side to 26-year-old Whittaker no one has seen until now.
In the gritty confines of his gym behind a working man’s club in Wolverhampton, Whittaker broke down in tears as he recounted the painful experience of missing his grandmother’s funeral to pursue his Olympic dreams.
‘People see my skills but they don’t really understand how hard I work and the things I have sacrificed to be here,’ Whittaker said in a raw and emotionally-charged interview.
‘We went to a training camp in Turkey while I was part of the GB set-up. My grandma sadly passed away and I was very close to her. So it was incredibly hard.
‘I actually made the decision not to go to the camp, but my dad said your grandma would want you to go. I’m getting a bit emotional thinking about it now. It was really hard.’
At 24, Whittaker was selected for the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. He took home the light-heavyweight silver medal after going three rounds with a Cuban boxer of great pedigree, Arlen Lopez, in the final.
But Whittaker kept his head down throughout the medal ceremony and stuffed his medal into his pocket, causing quite a controversy. ‘Not many people knew [my grandmother had passed away] when I was on the podium. I didn’t want to take the silver medal because I had missed her funeral to be there to win gold.’
Whittaker paused, visibly overcome with emotion, before summoning the strength to continue. ‘Sorry, it brought back all the emotions. It’s sad because I had to watch the funeral through FaceTime. It was a really hard and sad moment, But it’s what opened the door for me.’
Whittaker’s life changed after the Olympics. He was snapped up by Ben Shalom’s promotional company Boxxer, began featuring on Sky Sports and amassed his huge Instagram following after capturing the nation’s attention with his showboating. Now he has his seventh professional fight tonight against Leon Willings at the 02 Arena in London, on the undercard of Sky’s Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke British heavyweight title show.
However, boxing wasn’t West Bromwich-based Whittaker’s first love. He dreamed of being a footballer but after collecting more red cards than goals, he realised the referee’s whistle wasn’t his friend.
Despite taking up boxing, Whittaker, who has been diagnosed with ADHD, still found ways to land himself in hot water. So, his dad demanded he got a job.
‘I had two jobs after being kicked out of school. I wasn’t a naughty kid but if it was quiet I had to do something. I had to make people laugh or do something silly.
‘I went to work at JD Sports but my social skills were terrible. I couldn’t really speak to people. I know, you wouldn’t believe it with the ring walks and stuff.
‘I used to hide in the toilet. I got found and I was sacked.
‘Then I went to work at Wolves’ football ground. They said, “You can’t eat in front of the fans”. So, thinking I’m clever, I sat in the toilet to eat. I got caught twice and got sacked.
‘Luckily the week after that I got called into the GB team.’
Whittaker likened GB Boxing to a ‘prison’ where, instead of inmates, there were sparring partners and the guards were coaches who kept him in line with early morning circuits.
‘It was exactly what I needed. It was disciplined.’
Despite boxing being a lifechanger for Whittaker, his mum still can’t bear the thought of him getting hurt.
‘When I box I have twinkle toes so I have to thank my mum for putting me into ballet and dance. But when I told her I was boxing, she was gutted. But she’s seen the dedication and she’s seen how serious I am about it.’
I missed my Gran’s funeral to train for the Olympics
IT IS completely understandable why Whittaker’s mother feels anxious watching him. He lifted Greg O’Neill off the ground in his debut and spent a considerable portion of his bout against Jordan Grant chatting with the crowd. He was fighting with his hands down against Vladimir Belujsky, dancing around against Stiven Dredhaj and spinning around in circles against Khalid Graidia. Whittaker’s unpredictable antics certainly keep spectators on the edge of their seats.
‘Showboating gets me in that rhythm,’ he says. ‘When I do it, I feel like I could beat anyone. It’s not disrespectful or anything.’
Whittaker’s ring walks are equally flamboyant. He has drawn inspiration from Hamed’s famous neon-lit catwalk entrance against Kevin Kelley in New York in 1997, walked out to the tunes of Michael Jackson and even danced alongside ballerinas in Bournemouth.
‘I went for a holiday in Devon during Amir Khan’s Olympics in 2004. I didn’t really like boxing but I went into the front room to be with my dad.
‘The fight that really caught my eye was Amir’s final against Mario Kindelan, a Cuban. The style and the way he made it look so easy. The way he hit and didn’t get hit. The way he swaggered.
‘For the fight this weekend, I have something great planned. All I have to do is go out and perform. Obviously, it adds a bit more pressure. But I like it.’
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON MAIL SPORT’S BOXING YOUTUBE CHANNEL