Whittaker was already scheduled to appear on the card, but has now been elevated to the main line following Smith’s withdrawal. It will be just the third time the 28-year-old has competed as a professional.
Brian Suarez is not completely unknown, but for the wrong reasons. Fans remember that he was stopped by Lyndon Arthur in 2023.
In the world of boxing, it feels like a step back when a fighter is first discovered at the European or fringe world level, to use it as a headliner for a rising star like Whittaker.
At 28, Whittaker is in his prime, yet his level of opposition seems stuck in first gear. While this fight keeps Ben busy, it doesn’t answer any of the questions of whether he can handle a top 10 light heavyweight who won’t be intimidated by a little dancing.
“It’s a huge blow to lose a mega-fight so close to the event, and we wish Callum a speedy recovery,” Hearn said of him pulling out of the headline spot. “But the show goes on. It remains an unmissable night of boxing, headlined by one of the greatest showmen in the sport today in Ben Whittaker.”
That “greatest showman” tag is Eddie Hearn leaning completely to the marketing side of Ben Whittaker because right now the sports side is a bit harder to sell. It’s a strategic move to move away from the lack of competitive matchups by focusing on the entertainment value.
When you call Whittaker a contender, people ask why he’s not fighting Joshua Buatsi or Anthony Yarde. If you call him a “showman”, the quality of the opponent becomes secondary to the performance. It’s a way to justify the Brian Suarez fight as a stage for Ben’s antics rather than a legitimate opponent.
The fans roasting Whittaker on social media today see through this. They feel as if they are being sold a theater play instead of a professional prizefight.
“The root of his eventual major American debut is hanging on,” Hearn said. “Ben will be looking to show again why he will be the future of this sport as the ultimate ruler of the 175-pound division. This will be a solid test for him against Brian Suarez, who is a dangerous, hard-hitting opponent.”
Hearn calling Suarez a “dangerous, hard-hitting opponent” is technically true based on his 95% strikeout ratio, but it ignores his record. Suarez is 34 years old and has been stopped several times.
In boxing terms, he is a “safe” puncher, someone with enough power to look good on a poster but not enough technical depth to actually win against an elite fighter like Whittaker.
