By Sam Brookes

Copyright independent

Eddie Hearn has revealed when Ben Whittaker will be making his Matchroom debut.

Matchroom confirmed the signing of the Olympic silver medallist earlier this week and are keen to get their latest superstar active straight away.

Whittaker has not fought since winning his rematch with Liam Cameron in April, but he will not have to wait much longer to step back between the ropes.

Speaking about Whittaker’s Matchroom bow, Hearn told The Ariel Helwani Show: “It’s going to be the end of November. We’re going to be announcing a show shortly.”

Pushed on whether it would be in the UK, Hearn replied: “Yeah. We need to get him out quickly. I don’t want to wait until next year.

“We’re looking for a top-15 guy in the world. Ben’s been very inactive. He’s still not really had that many fights at any kind of level, if I’m honest. And I’m looking at two to three fights quickly among that world level. And then we start pushing him in with the names that I said.

“I like Willy Hutchinson, those kinds of guys. [Joshua] Buatsi, [Anthony] Yarde, obviously Callum [Smith] is our guy as well. If those guys aren’t winning world titles, there’s some big fights to be made.”

Whittaker turned professional in 2022 after his impressive Olympic run the previous year.

But he has been limited to just 10 professional bouts over the last three years and is yet to silence all his doubters. Still, Whittaker has become a social-media phenomenon, with his flamboyant skills going viral online.

However, his showboating antics have not gone down well with all fans, and he was accused of quitting in his first fight with Cameron last year when the pair tumbled out of the ring and the contest was declared a draw after Whittaker claimed he could not continue.

Hearn is convinced he has a world-class fighter on his hands, though, and has backed Whittaker to go right to the top of the light heavyweight division.

“I’m not signing Ben Whittaker because he’s got a huge name and a huge social-media following,” Hearn explained. “I’m signing him to become world champion at light heavyweight. This isn’t like a social-media sensation. This is an elite fighter.”

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