Ben Whittaker repelled a stubborn Leon Willings to take an eight-round points win on the Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke undercard at the O2 Arena in London.
Whittaker dropped his opponent and sprinkled in sustained, spiteful combinations, as well as showboating, on his way to a clear 78-73 points win.
Whittaker may be the ultimate showman but he started out with destructive intent.
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A look at Ben Whittaker’s epic martial arts inspired walkout for his fight against Leon Willings on the Frazer Clarke vs Fabio Wardley undercard.
He thumped repeated jabs into Willings’ trunk, testing out his body and bringing Willings’ gloves down.
He worked that lead diligently, but suddenly injected vicious speed into his attack. A double jab set up a right cross that streaked into the head.
Willings may have been patient, unwilling to get drawn in, but Whittaker still found room to work. With Willings guided back to the ropes, the “Surgeon” sent a left hook carving into his body and fired the same shot to the head before a right hand over the top sent Willings down to a knee.
But Willings, the Central Area champion (a belt not on the line in this eight rounder), was tough. He popped back up to his feet.
He continued to swallow big rights that Whittaker fired into the head as the rounds progressed.
Whittaker attacks the body
Nor could Whittaker, billed as the “master of the drunken style” in his elaborate ring entrance as well, resist showboating.
He swayed from side to side right in front of Willings at times and mid-fight turned to the man from Cheshire’s corner to tell off his trainer.
But he didn’t neglect the offensive work.
Blood began to drip from a cut over Willings’ right eye. As Willings sucked in air in the fifth round, Whittaker seemed to sense him weakening and ground forward behind more solid body shots.
Whittaker drops Willings
Defiant, Willings dredged up left hooks. He landed as well. But despite a firm hit, Whittaker scarcely blinked and continued to operate in his own inimitable style.
Willings didn’t lose heart and still launched a blow at Whittaker as the latter dug in further cruel body shots, his determined efforts obliging the Olympic silver medallist to go the distance.
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