All roads in the boxing world lead to Madison Square Garden Saturday night for the highly anticipated fight between Teófimo López and Shakur Stevenson. Lopez will be defending his WBO and Ring Magazine super lightweight (140 lb) champion title against three-division world champion Stevenson. One boxer from overseas, however, isn’t here to fight: Ben Whittaker, the highly touted British light-heavyweight known as “The Surgeon.”
Whittaker, now 28, earned Great Britain a silver medal in the light-heavyweight category at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. He also won another silver medal at the 2019 European Games, both of which he won while he was still an amateur. He began his professional career in 2022, and since 2024, he has also held the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) International light-heavyweight title.
“Being able to represent your country is a great feeling, and being able to capture a medal is a great feeling.” He also spoke to the importance of boxing being once again represented in the Olympics; the sport was one of many on the chopping block for the 2028 games in Los Angeles, following the suspension of the International Boxing Association in 2019.
He spoke with our Kelsey Nicole Nelson on the importance of boxing being once again represented in the Olympics; the sport was one of many on the chopping block for the 2028 games in Los Angeles, following the suspension of the International Boxing Association in 2019.
“It (Boxing) needed to be there, some of the American fighters, that’s what made them great fighters, and if you take that away, you take away that grass roots fighting where kids live to be that person.”
In Great Britain, Whittaker is regarded as one of the biggest stars in boxing, with an undefeated professional record aside from one draw against household name Liam Cameron, whom he later defeated in a 2025 rematch.
He attributes a lot of his personal accomplishments to boxing,
“It’s a sport that gives opportunity to anybody, even myself, I didn’t come from a rich or famous household,” said Whittaker, “and the sport has given me a position to change their lives.”
Now, Whittaker is in New York City ahead of this weekend’s fight to put his name on the map internationally. In late 2025, he signed with Matchroom Boxing, a boxing promotion company run by Edie Hearn. 
“We’re still new to the partnership, but it’s a partnership that will blossom into something good,” says Whittaker. He hopes that the partnership will be able to connect him more to his fanbase outside of the U.K., specifically in America.
The sport as a whole has been working to return to its former popularity in the world of competitive sports. Whittaker says he believes now is the perfect time for new fans to be welcomed to the sport.
“It’s a brutal division … one punch can change the fight,” said Whittake.r “It does (go in) waves sometimes, but I
think you’re catching the height of it now.” He continued.
As for this weekend’s big fight, Whittaker says he thinks it is a fight the sport needs, with both López and Stevenson being at the top of their division and at what he calls their prime.
“It’s a night for me just to be a boxing fan until the next time I’m in there.”
For now, Whittaker will take in the spectacle from ringside, confident that before long, Madison Square Garden won’t just know his nickname, but his name.
Picture credit: Joy Washington
