- Ben Whittaker fights Conor Wallace in Birmingham on Saturday, October 3, live on DAZN, in an IBF light heavyweight final eliminator
- The winner becomes the No. 1 challenger to Dmitry Bivol, who is reportedly interested in a third fight with Artur Beterbiev
- My prediction is Whittaker by stoppage before the eighth round, built on his four-fight knockout run
Whittaker vs Wallace Is A Proper Eliminator
Right then. Saturday night in Birmingham is a big one for Ben Whittaker. The Olympic silver medallist faces Conor Wallace in an IBF light heavyweight final eliminator, live on DAZN, and the winner becomes the No. 1 challenger to champion Dmitry Bivol. No soft touch, no tune-up and no excuses. This is the Whittaker fight we have been waiting for, and he gets it at home.
The numbers tell a simple story. Whittaker is 12-0-1 and comes in on a four-fight knockout run. Last month he stopped Richard Rivera in two rounds in New York, and before that he blew away Benjamin Gavazi in the first round at the NEC in Birmingham. That is the kind of form you want before a world title shot comes calling.
Who Is Conor Wallace?
Wallace is 17-1 with 12 knockouts. He was born in Northern Ireland but has fought mostly in Australia, and his only defeat is a 2021 majority decision. He is no mug and he will not be scared of the occasion, but let's be honest, he has not been in with a Whittaker. Whittaker is quicker, slicker and more unorthodox than anything Wallace is likely to have faced down under.
The Style Clash
Whittaker works from angles, switches stance and throws from places that make opponents miss and look silly. The danger is when he gets too showy and takes a clean shot he did not need to take. Wallace has the power to make him pay for that, so expect him to walk forward and look for the left hand. That is the only way he wins.
The Bivol Picture
Here is the bigger context. Bivol is reportedly interested in a third fight with Artur Beterbiev, so the path for Whittaker is not guaranteed even if he wins. Both fighters are with Eddie Hearn, which at least keeps the politics simple. A big, clean win on Saturday makes it very hard for anyone to ignore him. With Fury vs Joshua dominating the British boxing conversation, Whittaker has a chance to steal a bit of the spotlight on a card that also features three British title defences.
The Prediction
Make no mistake, Whittaker is levels above Wallace on talent. My prediction is that he starts steady, finds the range by round three, and gets Wallace out of there by the seventh. If Wallace goes the distance, it will be because Whittaker has switched off. I do not think he does. Whittaker by stoppage, and then it is Bivol's phone that should be ringing.