Darshan Desai Uncrowned Updated Sat, Oct 3, 2026 About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BIRMINGHAM, England — British boxing fans may have felt a sense of déjà vu on Saturday during Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace. Just six weeks ago, Moses Itauma dominated Filip Hrgovic through eight rounds and then suddenly tired, and things became very difficult for him very quickly in Round 9. Itauma was ultimately unable to recover and was stopped by Hrgovic in their IBF heavyweight title fight .
Another one of Britain's biggest rising stars, Whittaker, almost succumbed to the same fate in his IBF light heavyweight title final eliminator with Wallace. Whittaker, too, was dominating through nine rounds, but in the final three frames Wallace emptied the tank against a fatigued and hurt Whittaker and almost forced a finish.
Wallace's efforts ultimately proved to be insufficient, and Whittaker won a unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 115-113) inside the Utilita Arena.
Whittaker (13-0-1, 9 KOs) is now the mandatory challenger for unified champion Dmitry Bivol — although Whittaker, his coach Andy Lee, and Wallace (17-2, 12 KOs) seemed to unanimously agree in the post-fight interview that a rematch should be next.
"I think we should do it again and I'll beat [Wallace] down even better," Whittaker said.
Lee claimed Whittaker had COVID last week, offering it as an explanation for his below-par showing.
Whittaker had rattled off four early stoppage wins in a row prior to Saturday's final eliminator, but that streak ended against Wallace. Whittaker went back to outboxing his opponent and showboating early, drawing a mix of cheers and boos from a split crowd. Although Whittaker was the local Birmingham fighter, his personality and fighting style are divisive , and Wallace brought a traveling crowd from nearby Northern Ireland.
Whittaker was pitching a near shutout after nine rounds, largely thanks to his body work, sharp single shots, and ability to make Wallace miss with ease.
In Round 10, though, Wallace had a breakthrough by connecting a southpaw left hand that hurt Whittaker. Whittaker tried to hold and use his elusive movement, but Wallace found the target several more times in the frame.
Round 12 was the best of the fight for Wallace. After Wallace landed another left hand, Whittaker held onto him and they tumbled to the canvas. Wallace tried to create separation but Whittaker managed to hold and take him to the canvas on several occasions to buy valuable time.
Whittaker looked finished in the final minute as Wallace rocked him again, but somehow the Brit survived the 12-round distance and eked out a victory.
Whittaker may be mandatory for the Bivol vs. Callum Smith winner, but after Saturday's performance, it's clear "The Surgeon" is not ready for the top level of the division yet.
Check out complete Whittaker vs. Wallace results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned's play-by-play of the main card.
IBF light heavyweight title final eliminator: Ben Whittaker def. Conor Wallace via unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 115-113)
Super welterweight: Odel Kamara def. Thodoris Ritzakis via third-round TKO | Watch video
Flyweight: Hamza Uddin def. Sean Bruce via eighth-round KO | Watch video
Super welterweight: Bilal Fawaz def. Eithan James via eighth-round KO | Watch video
Super featherweight: Ibraheem Sulaimaan def. Sonny Hardy via unanimous decision (97-93, 97-93, 96-93)
Super middleweight: Aaron Bowen def. Klinton Baptiste via unanimous decision (99-91, 99-92, 98-92)
Super featherweight: Adam Maca def. Rogger Rivera via second-round TKO | Watch video
Middleweight: Harley Burrows def. Matias Ezequeil Herrera via second-round TKO | Watch video
Lightweight: Paige Murney def. Linzi Buczynskyj via points (38-37)
He claims Whittaker had COVID and says Whittaker would welcome a rematch.
Ben Whittaker defeats Conor Wallace by unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 115-113) in their IBF light heavyweight title final eliminator.
Whittaker connects with a right to begin Round 12. Now, Wallace lands a southpaw left. They tumble to the canvas. Whittaker looks hurt and is holding. He continues to hold. They trade shots. One minute to go. Wallace is looking for the finish, and Whittaker looks finished. Whittaker is making Wallace miss but is still catching the odd shot. Whittaker is ROCKED again! Wow. 30 seconds to go. Whittaker will survive the 12 rounds, but what a test.
10-9 Wallace. Final score: 116-112 Whittaker
Whittaker connects with a two-piece upstairs. Nice right from Whittaker on the chin. Whittaker is getting hit more now, but he is also landing more shots. Like that combination there just before the two-minute mark. Uppercut from Wallace, while Whittaker returns fire with a hook.
Nine minutes to go. LOVELY southpaw left from Wallace and Whittaker was HURT there! Breakthrough for Wallace. He lands big again. This is getting interesting. Wallace clips him on the back of the head during a clinch. Some respite for Whittaker as the ref warns Wallace. Whittaker is making Wallace miss with most shots, but some are still getting through. They are trading shots in the final minute. Now Whittaker lands big and makes Wallace miss.
Whittaker hits the body with a right, and then he lands at the chin. Another right finds the target. Whittaker makes Wallace miss with ease. Wallace gets through with a shot, but then Whittaker makes him pay immediately by landing a one-two. They exchange lefts.
30 seconds through, and neither has thrown a punch – and this is not the first round where this has been the case. One-two from Whittaker, and he unleashes a combination as Wallace is backed up into a corner of the ring. Nice right hand down the middle for Whittaker.
Nice southpaw left from Wallace caught Whittaker clean to begin Round 6. There isn't much happening in these rounds, so a moment like that from Wallace can steal the round. Whittaker connects to the stomach with a right. Wallace catches Whittaker coming in. One-two scores for Wallace. It is perhaps his best round of the fight. Whittaker knocks back the head with a left.
Whittaker is landing the jab upstairs now. A very hard shot to connect with on its own against a southpaw, but he's figured out the range. Wallace cracks Whittaker with a punch just after the halfway point. Nice lead right from Whittaker. Nice shot for Wallace landed as Whittaker had his hands down. HUGE right from Whittaker in the final 15 seconds, and Wallace stumbled backward.
Lovely jab from Whittaker just before the one-minute mark. Wallace is hesitant to do much. Brilliant counter left hook from Whittaker. Wallace found the ropes, just like he did when that punch landed in Round 3. Whittaker lands to the body. And then he showboats.
Not a very fun opening two rounds. Will the action pick up in the third? Wallace misses with a southpaw left. Whittaker continues to jab the midsection, and now he throws the left hook to the head. A right to the body from Whittaker. Rights to the chin and the stomach from Whittaker. Wallace lands the jab. A left hook counter for Whittaker. A right to the body lands. Whittaker HURTS him! He tried to follow up, but Wallace covered up.
Whittaker continues to target the body to begin Round 2. Wallace just fell short with a left. Jab from Whittaker, and now rights to the stomach. Whittaker isn't throwing upstairs. He is only landing downstairs. Now, he finally throws the right to the chin. Final minute. This is slow-paced. Wallace lands a jab.
Here we go! It's southpaw vs. orthodox. It's Wallace, who is the left-hander. Whittaker puts him on the backfoot immediately. But Wallace lands first. Whittaker is putting pressure on and touching the body. Whittaker goes upstairs with the jab. Wallace throws but misses. Now, he is stabbing at the body is Whittaker. No one's done too much. Whittaker is content with touching with the jab. Wallace tries to rush in but does so to no avail. Swing round.
Source: Sports
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