Ben Whittaker looks to star on the undercard of the Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke 'Bad Blood' showdown for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles at the O2 Arena, live on Sky Sports on Sunday night; Whittaker will fight Leon Willings in his seventh pro fight
Saturday 30 March 2024 07:04, UK
Ben Whittaker was unexpectedly challenged by a fighter from the crowd at the final press conference ahead of his next fight on Sunday night.
Just as the Olympic silver medallist was discussing his contest at the O2 Arena on Sunday night, live on Sky Sports, an unknown figure from the audience sprang forward to call out Whittaker.
"Who are you?" was Whittaker's surprised response.
The man was Ezra Arenyeka an unbeaten prospect from Nigeria who is based in Sale. Arenyeka is unbeaten in 12 pro fights, 10 of which he's won by knockout.
So vociferous were his calls for the fight, security eventually had to bundle him out of the room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Greenwich.
Whittaker's flamboyant showboating has caught the attention of the public and rival fighters of course.
Arenyeka wants the next shot at him, but Leon Willings, a young boxer from Cheshire, is the next man trying to solve the puzzle Whittaker presents.
They fight on the undercard of the Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke British and Commonwealth heavyweight title fight.
"Leon's the bounty hunter Sunday," Whittaker said with a smile. "I've got a big bounty on my head."
In the main event press conference both Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke kept their composure.
But British and Commonwealth champion Wardley still had a warning for Clarke.
"I'm just as confident as I was before the fight was made," he said. "I've had bigger fights, been in bigger matches, bigger tests.
"I've only got better."
Wardley declared: "I'm always looking for big shots. I'm always looking to put on a show and get my opponent out of there and Sunday will be no different."
He has gleefully goaded his challenger throughout the build up to this fight. But Clarke distanced himself from their long-running war of words.
"There's no doubt about it. He's very annoying at times," Clarke said.
"At this moment in time there's nothing he can say or do that can get under my skin and bother me.
"I see lots of doubters, lots of people that have chosen Fabio but I believe in myself."
He thinks their fight will ultimately become a question of skill. "I just think I'm the better boxer," Clarke said.
"He's a great fighter, he's done fantastic [but] we're going into a boxing match and I do it better than him."
The Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke features Ben Whittaker and more, live on Sky Sports this Sunday
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