Callum Smith has admitted he is not a fan fellow British light heavyweight Ben Whittaker’s polarising antics.
Alongside his undoubted capability in the ring, Whittaker has become known for his incessant showboating and goading of opponents – which Smith described as “disrespectful.”
Known as ‘The Surgeon’, the 2020 Olympic silver medalist has won all seven of his professional bouts to date, with five victories coming by way of stoppage.
He achieved international attention in February this year, after clips of him simultaneously dancing and countering Khalid Graidia went viral online.
But despite the attention Whittaker has garnered from his behaviour, former world champion Smith told Simon Jordan they just aren’t for him.
Bro is disrespectful af pic.twitter.com/0cJBcoDd7y
— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) April 20, 2024
That said, the Liverpudlian favourite did offer up some praise for the 26-year-old, whom he described as a “great talent.”
“Ben Whittaker’s antics aren’t my cup of tea
“He’s trying to be like Naseem Hamed, but Naz was doing it at Madison Square Garden in world title fights, not against journeymen.
“I think he Whittaker is a great talent and a very good fighter, who I do think will go to the top.
“He just needs to do the basics a bit better and get rid of his opponents. If he can do that at the highest level with all of his showboating as well, then fair play.
“At the moment, he’s only doing it against journeymen who have finished their day’s work and then gone to be opponents for him.
“They’re there to help him out, not to beat him – I think it is disrespectful.
“He is well known now compared to the other Olympians because of his character, and although he is showboating, he is also putting in good performances. Who am I to tell him to stop?”
Whittaker’s last outing was a much more low key affair with considerably less showboating, as he went the full eight rounds with Central Area champion Leon Willings last month.
