Whittaker survives late scare

British light-heavyweight Ben Whittaker defeated Northern Irishman Conor Wallace on points at Utilita Arena in Birmingham. The 29-year-old controlled much of the fight but Wallace came roaring back in the championship rounds.

Judges' scorecards favour Whittaker

The judges scored the fight one hundred seventeen to one hundred eleven, one hundred sixteen to one hundred twelve, and one hundred fifteen to one hundred thirteen in Whittaker's favour. Wallace rocked Whittaker in the tenth round and came close to a remarkable turnaround in the twelfth.

Whittaker admits he lost focus

After the fight, Whittaker said: "It was too easy and I took my eye off the ball a little bit. He caught me with a good shot but that's boxing. When it got a bit too easy I was playing too much and doing silly antics."

“It was too easy and I took my eye off the ball a little bit.”

Whittaker becomes mandatory challenger

The Olympic silver medallist extended his unbeaten professional record to thirteen wins and one draw. He is now mandatory challenger for IBF champion Dmitry Bivol, who also holds the WBA super and WBO belts.

Bivol expected to face Smith

Dmitry Bivol is expected to face Liverpool's Callum Smith in December. This means Whittaker's world-title shot may not come until next summer, leaving time for an interim fight.

Wallace calls for rematch

Wallace, thirty, suffered the second defeat of his nineteen-fight career and called for an immediate rematch. Whittaker responded: "If he wants to run it back and get a beat down again he can. If not, we'll move on."

“If he wants to run it back and get a beat down again he can.”

Hearn open to interim rematch

Promoter Eddie Hearn welcomed the possibility of a rematch between Whittaker and Wallace. Hearn said Whittaker needs to fight in the interim before facing the winner of Bivol versus Smith, which is likely not until next summer.