Whittaker survives late scare to hold on for points win

British light-heavyweight Ben Whittaker secured a points victory over Conor Wallace in a dramatic bout at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, moving closer to a world-title opportunity. The 29-year-old controlled much of the contest with his trademark showboating and boxing skill, but Wallace came roaring back in the final rounds. Whittaker was hurt in the 10th round, forcing him to hold on until the final bell.

The judges scored the bout 117-111, 116-112, and 115-113 in his favor, making him the mandatory challenger for the IBF world title. Whittaker acknowledged his mistake, saying he "took my eye off the ball a little bit" and "was playing too much and doing silly antics" towards the end. The 13-win, 1-draw Olympic silver medalist extended his unbeaten professional record and now faces a possible rematch against IBF champion Dmitry Bivol.

Whittaker's extravagant entrance, accompanied by a live string ensemble, was met with mixed reactions from the roughly 5,000 fans in attendance.