Ben Whittaker open to cruiserweight move for future David Benavidez fight

Ben Whittaker is open to pursuing David Benavidez at cruiserweight, but says he first wants to win and unify world titles at light-heavyweight.

Whittaker faces Conor Wallace in an IBF final eliminator on Saturday at BP Pulse LIVE in Birmingham. Victory would make the Olympic silver medallist the mandatory challenger for Dmitry Bivol, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles at 175lbs.

The 12-0-1 (9 KOs) Whittaker believes he can establish himself among the division’s leading fighters as Bivol and Artur Beterbiev approach the latter stages of their careers and Benavidez moves up in weight.

“It’s a new age for the light-heavyweights,” Whittaker said. “Dmitry Bivol’s probably got one, two fights left. Artur Beterbiev has probably got one fight, two fights left. David Benavidez is getting bigger and bigger, you know what I mean, so he’s probably gonna stay a cruiserweight or move up.

“So the doors are opening, and the door opens when I win Saturday. It’s a world title eliminator, it gets me number one, and it gets me in that position where I’ll be the new kid on the block.”

Wallace, 17-1 (12 KOs), represents a step up for Whittaker after three successive early victories over Benjamin Gavazzi, Braian Suarez and Richard Rivera. Those fights lasted a combined four rounds, with Rivera stopped in the second round of Whittaker’s US debut.

Benavidez fight remains a long-term aim

Benavidez, 32-0 (26 KOs), has moved beyond the light-heavyweight division and now holds the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, pushing any prospective fight with Whittaker further into the future.

His father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Snr, called for the contest last year and has also contacted Whittaker. Eddie Hearn, Whittaker’s promoter, previously said the fight had been proposed too early in the Briton’s professional development.

Whittaker has not dismissed the possibility of eventually following Benavidez to cruiserweight, although his immediate plans remain at 175lbs.

“Never say never, you should see the size of my dad, I’ll be a heavyweight soon as well,” Whittaker said. “It’s just part of the game; he’s a great fighter. For his dad [Jose Benavidez Snr] to message me and to be mentioned in interviews, of course it’s a privilege, but at the end of the day, I’m my own person.

“I’m in my own lane, but I would like that fight down the road. So after this, it’s Burger King, baby!”

Whittaker has also argued that Benavidez’s pressure-heavy style would not be unfamiliar to him, despite the size and experience the American would bring to a possible meeting.

“Yeah, I’d say that’s my bread and butter if I’m honest,” he said. “A lot of people see me as tall and lanky, but I’ve fought that sort of style since I was seven years old. That is the style that I do like; of course it’s relentless, of course it’s intense, but it’s kind of the style that I like.”

Any move up will have to wait while Whittaker pursues a world title in the division in which he won his Olympic medal and has spent his entire professional career.

“I want to make sure I dominate at my weight first,” he said. “Light-heavyweight is my weight. I did what I did at the amateurs at light-heavyweight. I’ve stayed at light-heavyweight as a pro. I want to do everything I possibly can here, and then I would like to move up. I think it’d be good to go through the weights.”

Wallace is the first obstacle. A win on Saturday would secure Whittaker’s place at the front of the IBF queue and move him towards his first world-title opportunity against Bivol.