Ben Whittaker Reveals What Excites Him Most About US Debut

Boxers typically love nothing more than fighting in front of their home crowd, but Ben Whittaker cannot wait to make his United States debut.

In his 13th professional fight, Whittaker is scheduled to fight outside of England for just the third time. The 29-year-old will face 35-year-old Richard Rivera on the undercard of Xander Zayas vs. Jaron Ennis in Brooklyn, New York, making it his first fight on American soil.

While Whittaker is more popular in England than anywhere else, he is excited to fight in front of American fans, whom he feels have the most appreciation for his style.

Whittaker set to make US debut

"I get a lot more love on this side, so for me it just made sense, and I'm happy it's here," Whittaker said on The Ariel Helwani Show. "I think they get a bit of the flamboyance; the character. They like when I put on a show. Over here, I get a bit of applauding for the showboating compared to home... You need a strong mindset to be in the UK. The thing is, love or hate, as long as you win, that's all that matters."

Ben Whittaker explains the contrast between American and British fans:

"I get a lot more love over this side. I think [the Americans] get the bit of the flamboyance, they get the character, they like when I put on a show.

Over here, I get a bit applauded for the showboating… pic.twitter.com/P77pLj58wD
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 24, 2026

Whittaker is arguably the biggest showman in boxing, pairing his unorthodox footwork and hand movement with in-fight taunting and gestures to the crowd. His bold style attracts many fans and critics alike, but the results speak for themselves in his undefeated record.

Whittaker is known for his entertaining style, but he has also admittedly adopted a more serious approach. Following his most recent win over Braian Suarez, the Englishman admitted that a conversation with Terence Crawford inspired him to limit the fight gimmicks and cut to the chase quicker.

Ben Whittaker faces Richard Rivera on Zayas-Ennis undercard

Whittaker has not even gotten to the stool in either of his last two fights, allowing him to make a quick turnaround just two months after his win over Suarez and land on the Zayas-Ennis undercard.

American fans who love Whittaker's showboating and dance-like movements are gifted with a golden opportunity to witness the full show on Saturday. Whittaker is a monstrous -2000 favorite against Rivera, who enters the fight with a 27-2 record against uninspiring competition.

While Rivera is coming off a second-round knockout win, he is just three fights removed from his most recent loss and has never faced anyone near Whittaker's level. The Hartford, Connecticut, native has not fought since January 2025.

Even as he admitted he had taken Crawford's advice and tightened up his approach, Whittaker vowed that his unique style would never go away. He told fans he would still "do both" and dance his way around the ring until the knockout presents itself.

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