Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron Predictions: Round disputes, ring tumbles and rematches

Ben Whittaker goes back in with Liam Cameron this Sunday, April 20 at the BP Pulse Arena in Birmingham. The controversial light heavyweight rematch takes place top of the bill in the Second City, with Sky Sports broadcasting the event live.

Here are my Whittaker vs Cameron predictions ahead of this British barn-burner.

Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron Odds

Whittaker is a 4/11 favourite despite having a tough time in their first fight. Cameron is a live 9/4 to spring the surprise. A draw is priced at 16/1.

Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron Fight Preview

Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. do not have exclusivity on personal grudge matches this month. Whittaker and Cameron share a mutual distaste that has festered since their controversial first fight in October. The twists and turns in this rivalry have kept it at the forefront of British boxing’s news cycle for six months. No eggs required.

Their first meeting ended when the fighters tumbled out of the ring in a clinch. Whittaker was deemed unable to continue due to an injury sustained in the fall. The bout was rendered as a technical draw on the scorecards, which were utilised because the fight had passed the fourth round.

Cameron, who had given heavy favourite Whittaker some serious problems in the fight, claimed that his opponent had quit. He saw the injury as a convenience, an exaggeration used to get the fight called off. Whittaker refutes this vehemently and a rematch became an inevitability.

What started as a showcase for Whittaker, an Olympic silver medallist and 8-0 pro going into the fight, ended as a blemish on his record and reputation. ‘The Surgeon’ had always divided opinion, with traditionalists sickened by his Prince Naseem Hamed-style antics in his previous fights. 

Whittaker had found his baby steps in the professional ranks a cake-walk. The 27-year-old dismantled his eight previous opponents with arrogant aplomb. Gloves down, chin always just out of reach. It is a style I find more feted in the greats of the past than the current crop. Nobody complains now that Hamed or Roy Jones Jr. used to fight this way. But when the technique is current and the fighter as-yet-unproven, the objections are stronger from the fickle fandom.

It is this groundswell of anti-Whittaker opinion that has caused many to revel in, and perhaps exaggerate, Cameron’s performance. The gritty 34-year-old did very well, holding his own and giving Whittaker his toughest test yet. But to hear some slightly-biased voices talk, the Sheffield boxer dominated every second of every round and Whittaker would definitely have lost without the injury.

That simply is not the case. From the five-and-a-bit completed rounds we saw a fiercely-competitive, well-matched fight. Whittaker ditched the peacocking. Cameron winged in hooks to disrupt his rhythm. There were some tasty exchanges. It was warming up into quite the fight, before the fall from grace.

As if this rematch did not have enough baked-in drama, there has been the issue of the amount of rounds for the rematch. Cameron claimed, later backed up by BOXXER chief Ben Shalom, that he was erroneously sent a contract for 12 rounds rather than the announced 10. 

The fight has now been agreed at the 10-round distance after plenty of negotiation and back-and-forth. Cameron felt the 12-round distance favoured him and was keen to box over the traditional championship duration. But he has reached an agreement with BOXXER to box over 10 instead.

This fight has plenty to recommend it. Pure, unfiltered drama. A genuine dislike. Wrangles in and out of the ring. Plus, judging by the action we saw last time, two styles that gel well. This one should be the talk of the town.

Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron Full Card

Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron

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Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron Prediction

I like what we saw out of Cameron last time, but not enough to give him the edge. Whittaker will have learned more in his near-six round experience with the Sheffield man than from his previous eight bouts combined.

Add in new trainer Andy Lee and I think we could see the best Ben Whittaker yet. I am predicting a far more dominant and controlled display this time out. I was initially minded to take Whittaker on points, which is 5/6. 

But with our Price Boost, either fighter to win by unanimous decision is 6/5 so I’ll go there instead for more enticing odds and a bit of insurance if Cameron can score a clear points win of his own.

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