Olympic light heavyweight silver medallist Ben Whittaker is self-evidently talented. The trick now is to develop that talent in the professional environment.
As an amateur his motif was being elusive. He is a beautiful boxer with quick hands and good movement. He knows how to avoid punches. Now he has to learn to sit down on his shots and start taking out opponents.
To make people miss is a great asset. But in the Olympic final he met a Cuban who did what he did and threw serious leather. He was taught a lesson by the great Arlen Lopez that day in Tokyo. The Cuban took risks that he didn’t, stood in the pocket and fought aggressively.
The difference between amateurs and pros is excitement. That means landing punches and knocking over opponents. So Whittaker has to think differently. It’s fine to be flashy but it must have purpose. When you first put your fist in a less padded pro glove you immediately have more bite. I’m encouraged by his desire to hurt opponents. To make it all the way he will have to deliver all his power.
I am looking for him to hold his feet, and when he makes his opponent miss to stay in the pocket instead of swaying out of range. To be a good counter puncher you have to hold your nerve when the shots are winging about your head or the opportunity to strike disappears. You have to be in position to throw a left upper cut or a choppy right over the top.
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As an amateur he thrived on the expectation he generated. He is now entering a different sport in a sense. It’s more complicated to cross codes than you might imagine. Pro boxing is all about distance control and hitting your opponent with maximum power. There have been a lot of talented amateurs who just didn’t make it. Irish welterweight Michael Carruth won gold in Barcelona, Audley Harrison likewise at super heavyweight in Sydney.
Neither could make the necessary adjustments. In the Olympic final Whittaker came up marginally short because he allowed his opponent to dominate the space. He had all the moves but didn’t throw enough punches. He regretted it because he knew he had the capability. He will breeze through the early pro contests, starting with Greg O’Neill in Bournemouth on Saturday night. The test will come against opponents who put him under sustained pressure. Against those guys he will need to deliver his power with frequency to prevail.
Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym
