BEN WHITTAKER may soon add his name to the list of fighters who have boxed in Saudi Arabia.
Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, is reportedly a fan of the British light-heavyweight. Boxxer, who currently represent Whittaker, have not been involved in the recent boxing events in the Middle East, where top fighters like Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder have competed.
Whittaker is set to fight Nigerian Ezra Arenyeka on June 15. Their 10-round bout will take place outdoors at Selhurst Park, the home of Crystal Palace FC, on a card headlined by the WBO cruiserweight title fight between Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe.
During a recent press conference, Boxing News asked Whittaker if he would consider fighting in Saudi Arabia in the future.
“100 per cent,” he responded enthusiastically.
“I believe that’s where major boxing events are heading. And when it comes to big-time boxing, my name has to be mentioned. Even though I am only seven fights in, I bring a lot of excitement. This is what fans want, especially in Saudi. It’s a possibility in the near future, but for now, I need to focus on my upcoming challenges,” he added.
Whittaker’s next challenge is against an undefeated 175lb fighter, Ezra Arenyeka, who is known for his bold and confident demeanor. In the press conference for Whittaker’s last fight against Leon Willings, Arenyeka made a bold statement by challenging Whittaker. Now, he has the opportunity to pull off a major upset. So, why did Whittaker accept this fight?
“The [WBA Gold] belt is on the line. He presented the opportunity, and I thought, ‘why not.’ He showed up at the press conference, seized his moment. I will demonstrate why he shouldn’t do that again,” Whittaker explained.