Matchroom Boxing made a huge splash on Monday when they officially announced the signing of Ben Whittaker to a long-term promotional deal.

And if all goes according to plan, it won’t be long before the ascending light heavyweight and 2020 Olympic silver medalist steps into the ring for the first time under the guidance of Eddie Hearn. In an interview with The Ring’s Louis Hart, Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith said the plan is for Whittaker to fight before the end of the year, preferably as the headliner on one of its final three cards in 2025.

Smith added that Matchroom has cards planned for Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13.

“I think he has to headline,” Smith said. “He's at that stage of his career, but he's only 10 fights in. I think he's still got a lot of learning and progression. You’ve got to build him at the right pace, and that's what we'll aim to do. The key is about momentum now. He's going to have four fights in 14 months by the end of next year, and that's going to be key for his learning [and] his developing, especially under Andy Lee. You'll see him fight this year and then three big fights next year.”

The switch in promoters from Boxxer is the latest significant change for Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KOs). Whittaker, 28, hired former middleweight champion and renowned trainer Andy Lee ahead of his last fight, and the partnership paid immediate dividends, as he stopped Liam Cameron in the second round of their rematch on Apr. 20. In their first bout on Oct. 12 of last year, he struggled against Cameron (23-7-1, 10 KOs) before both fighters went over the top rope at the end of the fifth round, resulting in a Whittaker injury and the fight being ruled a technical draw.

While Whittaker, of West Bromwich, England, is ranked No. 9 by the WBC, No. 11 by the WBA and No. 13 by the IBF, Smith affirmed that his development will be the main priority at the outset of their partnership along with building his base in the UK before he potentially fights for the first time in the U.S. With the potential the dynamic and flashy Whittaker has already showcased, Smith believes the pairing with Matchroom is exactly what he needs to enter another stratosphere in every aspect of his career.

“He's the biggest commercial star and [has the] potential to go all the way to the top and become a global superstar,” Smith said. “He's got everything you need. He's got the ability in the ring. He delivers outside of the ring. He does everything that's needed. I'm so excited to be part of this journey with him. He literally can go all the way to the top.

"I think Matchroom [and] Ben Whittaker is a perfect pairing. I think Eddie [Hearn] and Ben Whittaker together, you saw it with that promo video, they're going to be spectacular together. I think we can take him all the way to the top. I believe he'll be with us for the rest of his career.”