Ben Whittaker is sent FLYING out the ring before judges’ call off fight and hand out rare decision ahead of Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s title fight

Before his fight with Liam Cameron, Andy Lee hailed Ben Whittaker as ‘the future of boxing’, and with good reason. Yet October 12 turned out not to be the night Whittaker had imagined.

In a bizarre turn of events, Whittaker had to settle for a split-decision draw after suffering an injury that prevented him from continuing. The injury occurred when both fighters tumbled out of the ring during the fifth round.

The judges returned a rare set of scores: 58-57 for Whittaker, 58-57 for Cameron and 58-58, resulting in a draw. Cameron was visibly frustrated by the decision, while Whittaker had to be wheeled back to the dressing room due to his injury.

From the opening whistle, Whittaker looked in control and showed his trademark speed, footwork and technical precision. His reach advantage and movement kept Cameron at bay, making it look like Whittaker was well on his way to a victory. However, his momentum began to fade as the rounds progressed.

As the fight progressed, Whittaker appeared increasingly tense, losing the fluidity and confidence that often defines his performances. Instead of his usual flair and showmanship, he absorbed significant punishment from Cameron, especially in the crucial fifth round.

With about 10 seconds left in the fifth, Whittaker found himself pinned against the ropes, forced into a clinch with Cameron. As Cameron pushed forward, both men suddenly tumbled over the top rope and landed hard outside the ring. Cameron landed on top of Whittaker as they lay on the edge of the canvas, prompting an immediate response from the medical staff.

Cameron quickly got back up, clearly eager to continue the fight. His corner accused Whittaker of exaggerating his injury and urged the referee to restart the fight. However, Whittaker was clearly in distress and complained of severe pain in his foot. He was helped to his chair, where doctors removed his boot and eventually sent him for an X-ray.

More to follow…