Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron ends in draw after both fighters tumble out of ring
In their Saturday light heavyweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Liam Cameron forced fellow Briton Ben Whittaker up against the ropes at the conclusion of the fifth round. The top rope gave way, sending both combatants flying into the ring platform. Whittaker was wheeled away after seeming to hurt his right leg. He was brought to a local hospital, according DAZN Boxing.
Following his and his opponent Liam Cameron’s fall over the top rope during their fight in Saudi Arabia, Ben Whittaker was forced to exit the Kingdom Arena in a wheelchair before being taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
At the conclusion of the fifth round, the entangled pair theatrically toppled out of the ring. Whittaker was unable to continue and had to exit the arena in a wheelchair before being taken by ambulance to the hospital.
After just five rounds, Whittaker and Cameron—who was favoured to win the bout since he had won eight out of the previous nine—locked arms and spectacularly tumbled over the ropes.
Referee Victor Loughlin halted the bout after the Darlaston boxer was given time to heal after the duo staggered out of the ring. Despite treatment, the boxer was still clearly struggling.
The bout, which was scheduled to take place on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol, was declared a technical split draw. Although Cameron, 33, is 23-6-1, Whittaker, 27, is now 8-0-1.
It only took five rounds for Whittaker and Cameron—the former coming into the fight as the clear favourite to start an eight-fight winning streak—to lock arms and drastically collapse over the ropes. His right leg injuries were attended to.
The fight, which took place against Sheffield’s Cameron and was scheduled to take place on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol in the Principality, was declared a split-decision technical draw with scorecards of 58-57, 57-58, and 58-58. The British Boxing Board of Control regulation, which stipulates that a bout stopped due to an unintentional injury must go to the judges’ scorecards, was followed in making the verdict.
Whittaker had an awful day as his perfect record of eight consecutive victories, five of which were knockouts, came to an end. Whittaker had won the silver medal in the Olympics.
The opponent of Robert Whittaker was not pleased with the result and believed Whittaker—whose antics throughout the fight have garnered media attention—was trying to end the bout quickly.
“Whittaker no longer desired anything more. He was exhausted. He lends me his final thirty seconds. All he had left was nothing. “The child was exhausted after the second round,” Cameron said from the changing room.
“But see, I defeated him hands down. I don’t receive my fair part. In the last battle, I was defeated by a split decision. This was just a drawing I did. What else must I accomplish? I’ve never received a promotional offer in my life, so I gave it my all today to win, and I felt like I earned it.”