Ben Whittaker has issued a stark warning to Ezra Arenyeka ahead of their highly anticipated bout this Saturday at Selhurst Park. The fight will feature on the undercard of the Chris Billam-Smith vs. Richard Riakporhe event, broadcast live on Sky Sports. Whittaker, an Olympic silver medallist, is set to face Arenyeka, who boasts an unbeaten 12-0 record with 10 knockouts.
The build-up to this fight has been particularly heated. Arenyeka, known as the “African King,” confronted Whittaker before his last fight, demanding a chance to face the British boxer. Against his better judgment, Whittaker accepted the challenge, determined to teach Arenyeka a lesson in the ring.
“Fair play, he has a good record and came through the doors kicking and screaming,” Whittaker told Sky Sports. “But this is probably the only time I’ll accept something like this. You don’t want to keep doing this and have people running up for their opportunities. At the end of the day, you have to work for that position.”
Whittaker’s message to Arenyeka is clear: “Be careful what you ask for.” He believes that if he boxes to his full potential, the fight will be a statement in itself. “If I box the way I box, a style like that for me is tailor-made,” he said.
Arenyeka’s apparent confidence has not gone unnoticed. When the two fighters weighed in on Friday, Arenyeka charged towards Whittaker, prompting a venomous reaction from the British boxer. Whittaker remains unfazed by Arenyeka’s bravado, confident in his ability to adapt his fighting style as needed.
“I can stand there and fight if I need to. I can move and box if I need to. I can mix it. The good thing is I can do a bit of both. He can only do one thing, and if he tries to box me, it’ll be even worse,” Whittaker asserted. “At the end of the day, this will be like his World Cup final, so his first round will be his best round. But being in a situation like this, a big arena, big fight, all that plays a part, and I’ll use my experience to make sure it just deafens him.”
Whittaker is known for his combination of mazy defensive movements, spiteful punching, and showboating. He assures that landing a punch on him is “easier said than done.” “From the outside, it might look like you can hit me with this or that,” he explained. “But I’m just riding the punches. You’re in range, and they’re slipping past your whiskers. That’s an art in itself. There are not many people who can do that in such close range.”
He also pointed out the differences between Arenyeka and his previous opponent, Khalid Graidia. “Graidia is fast, whereas this kid is a bit slower, so I might have a lot of time to make myself a cup of tea during it,” Whittaker quipped.
Ringwalk Times
Ben Whittaker’s ringwalk for his light-heavyweight contest with Ezra Arenyeka is expected around 9pm on Saturday night. The Chris Billam-Smith vs. Richard Riakporhe main event ringwalks will follow at approximately 9.45pm. Don’t miss the action live on Sky Sports.
Credit: Sky Sports
