Ben Whittaker loves to showboat in the ring and he plans to feast on pizza and watch anime the night before he steps into it this weekend.
Just don’t take that as a lack of focus.
The unbeaten British light-heavyweight (8-0) faces Liam Cameron live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday and is ready to “flick the switch” come the fight.
Catch a bumper night of boxing on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday
“Some people like to get all spiritual and focus. My focus is not focusing,” said Whittaker, who has outpointed Eworitse Ezra Arenyeka and Leon Willings this summer since a dazzling fifth-round stoppage of Khalid Gradia back in February, in which his slippery antics saw him go viral.
“From the outside it looks like you’re messing around, but really you’re just taking your mind away from it. I think that’s the best thing.
“Because when I walk into that changing room, you’re there, you’ve got to lock in. When the lights come on, my alter ego just comes out.
“I know when to flick it, and when to switch and have fun and stuff [with his showboating]. I’d rather just train, get the job done and go home. But I know you need to do that.
“It’s a good thing to have because it gets people talking and it gets people wanting to watch. You need that switch. It’s a switch that the stars have and luckily enough I’ve got that switch.”
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Whittaker is known for his flamboyant style inside and outside the ring and the ‘The Surgeon’ brought that style with him on the first day of fight week
‘My brother likes to see pain’
Whittaker’s success, which included Olympic silver in Tokyo three years ago, is a family affair with his godfather Joby Clayton his trainer and brother Jamie, a former royal marine, instilling a ferocious attitude as his strength and conditioning coach.
His father, Tony, is always close by, too.
“The people who know how to make me tick. You need that. Everything around you starts going crazy. I don’t really fall into outside noise, I’m kind of level-headed anyway, but having people block it for you, I can’t really complain.
“I think it was (Floyd) Mayweather who said half the boxing game is mindset.
“If you go in there believing you can win, the majority of time you will. If you go in there umming and ahhing doubting yourself, that’s when it becomes a tough task.
“That’s what my brother’s installed in me. That these sessions will be hard and it’s up to you to get through. My brother likes to see pain. He knows where I want to get and pushes me to get it.”
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Whittaker talks Sky Sports through his greatest showboating moments
‘Light-heavyweight division will have different landscape in 2025’
Whittaker feels the light-heavyweight division can open up for him in 2025, saying he wonders whether Artur Beterbiev, who turns turn 40 in January, will fight on regardless of the result of his undisputed world title bout against Dmitry Bivol this weekend.
“There’ll be loads [of opportunities for me]. If Beterbiev does lose, will he fight again? Maybe not. Even if he wins, does he need to fight again because he’s got all the belts?
“I think 2025 will open up many doors and it’ll be a different landscape in the division.”
For now, though, Whittaker’s focus is on 30-fight veteran Cameron – a man he regards as “tough” but one he expects to see off in routine fashion.
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Whittaker was disappointed with the music for his press conference entrance and says that concerns him more than opponent Cameron
“I just believe he’s made for me. In whatever he does, I’ll be better in that department,” Whittaker said of Cameron, who lost a split decision to Lyndon Arthur last time out as he suffered a sixth professional defeat.
“He’s a tough guy, he can take shots. I think his best thing is he keeps trying, he won’t give up. That’s what people want to see.
“They want me in those fights and I think when I’m in those fights the better me comes out.
“But other than that [he is] nothing too special. He’s used to losing. I see him losing here.”
Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron is on the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol bill on Saturday October 12 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book now!