BEN WHITTAKER STOPS LIAM CAMERON IN SECOND ROUND IN BIRMINGHAM AFTER FIRST FIGHT CONTROVERSIALLY ENDED IN A DRAW

• Ben Whittaker, 27, beat Liam Cameron in their rematch on Saturday evening
• Whittaker, who recently teamed up with Andy Lee, won the fight via TKO 

Ben Whittaker walked into the ring on Saturday night with more than just a rematch on the line — his pride, reputation, and future were all up for grabs. And he answered every question that followed him since last October's bizarre and controversial draw with Liam Cameron.

This time, there were no question marks. No freak accidents. No wheelchairs. Just a convincing win for Whittaker — a performance built not just on skill, but on structure, heart, and maturity. 

Teaming up with new trainer Andy Lee has clearly paid dividends. The Wolverhampton showman still had his signature swagger, but it came with sharper fundamentals, smarter movement, and a new-found resilience that some had doubted he possessed.

He finished Cameron off in the second round to silence the doubters and right the wrongs from their first fight in Saudi Arabia on Saturday evening. However, what followed was ugly. 

Whittaker ran to Cameron's corner, shouting at his team in jubilation before Lee grabbed hold of his fighter. Once Whittaker's excitement subsided, he and Cameron exchanged words of respect and admiration. 

The backdrop to the rematch was anything but smooth. Their first encounter ended in chaos when both men tumbled out of the ring and Whittaker was unable to continue due to injury. 

The fight went to the judges score cards, and though officially scored a split-decision draw, many believed Cameron had done enough to win.

As Whittaker was wheeled out of the arena before the decision was even read, critics were quick to accuse him of quitting - giving the 27-year-old the nickname 'Ben Quit-akker'.

But Whittaker had other ideas.

'I believe that was the best chance to get me and he didn't,' he said in the lead-up to the rematch. And he was right. Saturday night was redemption, pure and simple.

While Cameron had been rewarded handsomely — both financially and promotionally — for his efforts in Saudi Arabia, signing with Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions, Whittaker had quietly gone back to the drawing board.

Enter Lee, whose calm influence and technical know-how helped bring discipline to Whittaker's camp. The result? A more complete fighter who still dazzled with flair, but fought with the control of someone determined to rewrite the narrative.

The rematch itself wasn't without its own drama. Originally set for 12 rounds, a contractual mishap from Whittaker's promoters, Boxxer, led to heated negotiations. 

Cameron eventually agreed to a 10-round bout — the same distance as the first fight — in exchange for what he later described as an 'absolute fortune.'

In the end, none of that mattered. From the opening bell, Whittaker took control. There was no sign of the man accused of folding under pressure.

Instead, there was grit. Determination. Proof that when the lights shine brightest, Ben Whittaker isn't just a highlight-reel showman — he's a real fighter.

The doubters called him a quitter. On Saturday night, Ben Whittaker proved them all wrong.

More to follow... 

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2025-04-20T21:32:34Z