Light heavyweight contender Ben Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 KOs) dropped Benjamin Gavazi (19-2, 13 KOs) twice en route to a first-round knockout to win the vacant WBC Silver 175-lb belt Saturday night at the National Exhibition Center in Birmingham, England.
Gavazi never had a chance as he was almost immediately backed up with a right hand by 2020 Olympic silver medalist Whittaker and then put on the canvas with a shot to the head.
It didn’t look like a big punch, but it was the area it landed, which was on the side of Gavazi’s head, that did the damage. Whittaker seemed to hit him with his right hand, almost like swatting a fly.
Gavazi picks himself off the canvas, doesn’t look strong on his feet. Sensing that his prey was hurt, Whittaker chased the German fighter with a bum, landing short punches on the inside. Ben then nailed him with a 1-2 combo that planted Gervazi on the floor. He landed back first with both arms out to his sides.
The referee, Mark Bates, then stepped in and immediately waved it off. There was no chance that the badly injured Gavazi would get back up and resume the fight. If he was crazy enough to get up, it would have been bad for him, because he was too hurt, too slow, and too outmatched to mount any kind of defense.
You have to hand it to promoter Eddie Hearn. It was the perfect fit to make Ben Whittaker look like a precious diamond and help build his global following.
“All I can say is: ‘Wow.’ Sometimes people come into an arena, and they light the place up,” promoter Eddie Hearn said in response to Whittaker’s victory. Gavazi has won 19 straight. We know there are many levels above him to where we need to get.”
Last updated on 29/11/2025
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