Ben Whittaker always appeared to be built for the biggest of occasions.
The 27 year-old light heavyweight enjoys being at the centre of attention but when he sat down to map out his career, becoming embroiled in a high profile, contentious build-up for a ten round, non-title fight with a domestic rival like Liam Cameron is unlikely to have been part of his grand plan.
On Sunday night - and six months after they fell out of the ring in Saudi Arabia - Whittaker, 8-0-1 (5 KOs), and Cameron, 23-6-1 (10 KOs), will meet in a rematch at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena. Sky Sports will televise the event.
Last October, Cameron’s pressure and determination quickly turned what many expected to be a showcase into a severe and unexpected test of the 2020 Olympic silver medallist’s professional credentials but it was that untidy fifth round tumble over the top rope - and Whittaker’s reaction to it - that moved things to a different level.
There was no let up in the pressure as Cameron - who felt aggrieved at having to settle for a split draw - immediately tried to secure a rematch.
During an interview with SportingTalk, former super middleweight world champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Carl Froch, said that having got himself into this predicament, Whittaker must now get himself out of it.
“Ben Whitaker's got himself involved in a little domestic dust up here that he probably don't want to f——-g be in but if you don't give him the rematch, everyone's going to go, ‘S—thouse’ and he’s never going to live it down. He's got to shut people up now. So he's got to fight and he's got to f——-g do the business,” Froch said.
Even more concerning to Whittaker will be the fact that so many people believe Cameron is capable of beating him this Sunday.
Although Whittaker’s amateur pedigree is beyond question, Cameron’s steady, unspectacular pressure clearly took its toll on him and uncovered some previously unseen concerns.
Froch is expecting Cameron to give his usual, wholehearted effort but believes that a refocused Whittaker should have learned from the first fight and prove his quality second time around.
“I would expect Ben Whittaker to really focus, knuckle down, hone in on his skillset and think, ‘Right. Showboating out of the window. Let’s get beyond that jab and let’s get the job done.’
“It's going to be a great fight,” Froch continued. “I'm really looking forward to it. I would say Ben Whittaker's still the favourite but Liam Cameron, if he comes and he means business and he digs his heels in, bites down on that gumshield - which I know he's going to - this could be an upset for Ben Whittaker.”