As the bell rang, Ben Whittaker put on ‘The Surgeon’s mask to dissect Liam Cameron. However, the upcoming light heavyweight prospect from the midlands couldn’t live up to his dazzling reputation. Playing spoilsport, Liam Cameron made it difficult for him to claim an easy victory. Much to fans’ chagrin, the fight ended most unusually. Resembling a WWE fight, the two fighters toppled off the ring. With Ben Whittaker reeling under an injury, the fight had to be called off.

The fight eventually went to scores only to be announced as a technical draw. Clearly, fans were not in the best of moods. Many prominent names too joined, sharing their thoughts on the uncustomary end to a much-anticipated bout. The all-British clash took place at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena on the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undercard.

Ben Whittaker vs. Liam Cameron: Out of the blue

It was just hard to watch. The two fighters, locked in a clinch, perhaps didn’t realize as they continued to push towards the ropes. The sheer force might have caused the duo to tumble out of the ring. Various shots of the accident show team members rushing to help as Whittaker lay beside Cameron. The pain was visible on his face.

The incident happened during the fifth round of the ten-round battle. Many expected Ben Whittaker to continue on his winning streak. But for Liam Cameron, it was a different story. Taking up the gloves after a five-year layoff made the fight quite personal for ‘Cannonball’. Not intending to disappoint his followers, the Sheffield-born fighter propped up a tight defense that countered Ben Whittaker’s strikes.

After the fall, Whittaker was subsequently helped to a stool. He received additional time from the referee while a ringside medical team reviewed his leg injury. However, soon it became clear that he could not continue. Consequently, he was taken out of the arena in a wheelchair and had to be shifted to a nearby hospital for further medical inspection.

The boxing world laments the finish to the fight

Many fans were unhappy. They felt that Cameron had been steadily gaining ground over the young rival. Nevertheless, let’s check what a few of the well-knowns had to say about a bizarre end on such a high-profile card.

Former undisputed champion Josh Taylor just couldn’t believe his eyes. He found the whole situation falling into disarray. He just uttered, “What a shambles.” Disappointed that the fight ended in the most unfortunate way, especially when it was shaping up to be a good one, veteran promoter Frank Warren wished Ben Whittaker a quick recovery. He said, “A shame it ended that way””what was turning into a very good fight. Hoping Ben recovers quickly from his injury.” But he also took the opportunity to highlight at the upcoming duel: “Raven Chapman next looking to claim the WBC title!”

‘Best Women Boxing Show’ host Cynthia Conte also sounded alarmed as she came across Whittaker being taken out in a wheelchair. “Whittaker is in a wheelchair and being carted off. What a mess! Hope he has a speedy recovery,” she said.

But as a former boxer, Enzo Maccarinelli minced no words. He felt that Liam Cameron performed so well that it forced Whittaker to exert more effort than he typically would in a fight. This is what the former cruiserweight champion said: “[Cameron] was really coming into that fight. [Whittaker] was having to work harder than he ever had to work.”

While reviewing other reactions, one user seemed to believe that Whittaker received an unfair advantage at the cost of Liam Cameron, who deserved a fair opportunity in the matchup. They said, “Whittaker getting away with that “voluntary retirement” is a joke; got to feel for Cameron.”

In the end, the judges recorded their scores as follows: 58-57 in favor of Ben Whittaker, then 58-57 for Cameron, and the last 58-58 for both, thus ending the fight in a draw.

But considering how he faced a tough time dealing with a resurgent Liam Cameron, Ben Whittaker might have to go back to the drawing board once he recovers. It’s all the more important considering that he dreams of a shot at the title in the near future.

What are your thoughts on the Whittaker-Cameron fight? Had the fight gone the whole distance, do you feel it might have ended in Cameron’s favor?