Sunday, November 17, 2024

Ben Whittaker: British fighter suffers ankle sprain and will have further assessments on an aggravated neck injury

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Ben Whittaker suffered an ankle sprain and will have further assessments on an aggravated neck injury after the bizarre conclusion to his bout in Riyadh on Saturday.

The fight between Whittaker and Liam Cameron ended in a draw after both crashed out of the ring.

Whittaker left the arena in a wheelchair and was taken to hospital for scans to his injured leg after he and Cameron grappled onto the ropes and tumbled over the top.

Cameron was sprawled on Whittaker as they fell on the outer canvas towards the end of the fifth round, with the latter unable to get up.

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Check out a new alternative angle from ringside which shows Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron flipping over the ropes

The bout was abandoned due to accidental injury and declared a technical split draw, with Whittaker 58-57 on one scorecard and Cameron ahead by the same score on another with the third tied 58-58 moving Whittaker’s professional record to 8-1 and Cameron to 23-6-1.

His promoter Ben Shalom told Sky Sports: “Following the unprecedented incident that ended the match on Saturday night, Ben Whittaker is undergoing further assessments on his neck as a previous injury was aggravated by the fall.

“He also experienced an ankle sprain and will begin a rehab process as soon as he is cleared by doctors and is determined to be back in the ring as soon as possible.”

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Ben Whittaker left the ring in a wheelchair after the fight in Riyadh

Cameron calls for rematch

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Watch the full highlights as Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron battled out a remarkable draw

The judges would rule the contest a technical decision split draw, with Cameron calling for a rematch, insisting he had done enough to win the fight after five rounds.

“I want either a rematch or something better. Ben deserves the rematch,” Cameron told TNT after the fight.

“I think I was a bit hard done by. He’s the golden boy here, and I’ve just ripped the script up.”

Cameron reiterated those calls on Monday with a post on social media which taunted Whittaker’s injury.

“Unfinished business. We need a rematch,” he wrote on X.

“Bring your wheelchair and we can do it in the steel cage if you like.”

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Liam Cameron was furious with the judges after the fight was scored a technical draw

The fight was on the undercard for the undisputed light-heavyweight world title bout between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.

Adam Azim will fight Ohara Davies at the Copper Box Arena in London on October 19, live on Sky Sports. Stream boxing and more with NOW

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