After months of slumber, the light heavyweight division woke up to some big jolts. Last week in Riyadh, champion David Benavidez consolidated his position with a mind-boggling win over Anthony Yarde. After enigmatic Benjamin Whittaker, or more commonly Ben Whittaker, takes center stage at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, 175 pounds could be in for yet another round of shake-ups.

The 28-year-old faces Benjamin Gavazi of Germany for the WBC Silver light heavyweight title. That the fight probably serves as a tune-up for Ben Whittaker could be a foregone conclusion. However, considering it’s a Matchroom debut for Whittaker, it’s important to review the fight. It has been only a month since the West Midlands native signed with Eddie Hearn’s promotion. It could be similar to the case of Boots Ennis, who moved up a division and fought Uisma Lima as a test of his skills at a higher weight class. Whittaker appears committed to preparing thoroughly for the fight before lunging toward the next big challenge.

Predicting Ben Whittaker vs. Benjamin Gavazi: Who has better stats and a record?

As far as records go, 30-year-old Gavazi appears to be the more experienced of the two. Making his debut in 2018, he has participated in 20 professional fights, suffering defeat only once. Ben Whittaker, on the other hand, entered the paid ranks following an illustrious amateur career that includes an Olympic silver medal.

Having made his professional debut in July 2022, he now has 10 fights on his resume. Like his upcoming opponent, he also has one loss – the defeat to Liam Cameron last October.

In terms of power, both Benjamins stand on equal footing. With 6 opponents hitting the canvas, the English light heavyweight boasts a competitive 67% knockout-to-win rate. Benjamin Gavazi, meanwhile, stands slightly ahead at 68%, having knocked out 13 of his 19 opponents.

Ben Whittaker vs. Benjamin Gavazi: Height, weight, reach comparison, and more

Unfortunately, Gavazi’s height and reach remain unavailable. Whittaker, however, stands at 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) and has a 75-inch reach (191 cm). The final weigh-ins for the Matchroom event are yet to take place.

For reference, in his most recent fight, against Branimir Malenica roughly a year ago, Benjamin Gavazi weighed in at 174.8 pounds. Ben Whittaker, meanwhile, tipped the scales at 175 pounds ahead of his rematch with Liam Cameron.

Fight prediction

Calling it a one-sided fight might be an understatement. Nonetheless, the perception appears unanimous: Ben Whittaker is heading for a clear win. With odds as wide as -2000 in his favor, he stands as the heavy favorite over Benjamin Gavazi, who enters as a +1000 underdog.

A combination of youth, recent form, and fighting style heavily tilts the odds toward Whittaker. With only a few exceptions, Gavazi has fought almost entirely in Germany, and this will be his first time competing outside the European mainland. Though he boasts a strong win tally, Gavazi’s resume lacks recognizable names, and most bouts occurred off the mainstream radar.

Styles and strategy

This is Whittaker’s first fight under the Matchroom banner, so he will be eager to make his promotional debut as impressive as possible. That raises the likelihood of him resorting to his trademark swashbuckling style. Against a lesser-skilled opponent like Benjamin Gavazi, he may revert to his usual showboating.

The showmanship was largely absent in his recent outings against Liam Cameron.

Nevertheless, expect him to rely on deft footwork and sharp counters to deal with the presumably heavy-hitting German. Gavazi is well-known for his power and durability. Whittaker can expect his opponent to draw him into the pocket, hoping to pepper him with body shots or spring a solid left hand off a range-finding jab.

Most significantly, like Boots Ennis, Ben Whittaker appears to be gearing up for a statement win, one that could send alarm bells ringing across the division.

If Whittaker wins, who do you think he should fight next?