Olympic silver medalist Ben Whittaker knocked out Benjamin Gavazi at the NEC in Birmingham on Saturday night and returned home afterwards to find his house burgled
Ben Whittaker returned home after knocking out Benjamin Gavazi on Saturday night to find his house burgled. The fighter who lives in Wednesbury is offering a significant reward for anyone who finds those responsible.
Whittaker was fighting barely 20 miles away at the National Exhibition Centre near Birmingham. It took ‘The Surgeon’ just two minutes and 15 seconds to knock out his opponent in the first of ten scheduled rounds.
That was his 10th win since turning professional in 2022, and earned Whittaker the vacant WBC Silver light-heavyweight title. That belt would have joined the IBF International light-heavyweight title in his home, but the burglars stole it.
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Whittaker summed Saturday night’s events as the “highs and lows of the sport” in a video posted on his Instagram story in the early hours of Sunday morning. Zooming in on his kitchen window, the fighter said: “Come back, house has been burgled.
“But, Wednesbury, I’ve got a big, big reward. Find these people, let me know. They’ve even took my IBF belt, what they gonna do with that? So, yeah, let me know, hit me up in the DMs, big reward, love.”
West Midlands Police told the BBC : “We are investigating after a home was broken into in Wednesbury shortly after midnight today [Sunday] with property stolen. Anyone with any information is being asked to ring us on 101 quoting crime reference number 20/459973/25. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”
Whittaker’s last fight, in April, was also held at the NEC. Whittaker knocked out Liam Cameron in a rematch of their controversial split-decision technical draw.
Their first fight was in Saudi Arabia on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol. Whittaker withdrew due to an injury sustained after both fighters fell out of the ring.
He has since signed a long-term contract with Matchroom Boxing, and Eddie Hearn now plans to have him fight in the United States. The promoter said: “We don’t want to take him to America too much, but America is crying out for Ben Whittaker.”
Hearn was full of praise for the former Olympian. He said: “All I can say is wow. Sometimes people come into an arena and light up the place, but what matters is what happens in here, the ring.
“We know there are many levels above Gavazi that we need to reach, but when you face that level, you go in, destroy them clinically, and produce a showreel knockout the whole world watches for the next week. Millions and millions of viewers are watching this young man, who is truly special.”
