Ben Whittaker continues to make quick work of his opponents. The unbeaten British light heavyweight contender needed just 27 seconds of the second round to stop Richard Rivera on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, adding another highlight-reel knockout to his growing resume.
The victory came on the undercard of the unified junior middleweight title fight between Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Xander Zayas.
Whittaker (12-0-1, 9 KOs) wasted little time asserting himself against the durable Richard Rivera. Late in the opening round, Whittaker floored Rivera with a right hand, although replays appeared to show the punch may have landed on the back of Rivera’s head.
Rivera survived the first knockdown, but only briefly. Just 27 seconds into Round 2, Whittaker landed a crushing left hook as Rivera charged forward, sending him crashing to the canvas for the second time.
Although Rivera beat the count, referee Michael Griffin immediately waved off the contest, awarding Whittaker the second-round technical knockout victory.
Rivera Suffers First Knockout Loss
Rivera (27-3, 20 KOs) entered the fight known for his durability, having never previously been stopped inside the distance. The Hartford, Connecticut native simply had no answer for Whittaker’s explosive speed and timing. The victory further cements Whittaker as one of the sport’s fastest-rising contenders in the light heavyweight division.
Whittaker has now recorded four consecutive knockout victories since the bizarre ending to his first meeting with Liam Cameron in October 2024. That bout ended in a six-round split technical draw after both fighters became tangled during an exchange and tumbled over the top rope, crashing outside the ring.
Whittaker suffered ankle and neck injuries in the fall and was unable to continue. He left little doubt in the rematch, stopping Cameron in the second round before following with first-round knockouts over Benjamin Gavazi and Braian Suarez.
Rivera became the latest victim of Whittaker’s growing power, though he managed to last longer than Whittaker’s previous two opponents.
Momentum Continues to Build
At 29 years old, Whittaker appears to be finding his rhythm as he climbs the light heavyweight rankings. With four straight stoppage victories and nine knockouts in 12 professional wins, the Olympic silver medalist continues to back up the hype that surrounded him when he entered the professional ranks.
If Saturday night’s dominant performance is any indication, Whittaker is closing in on the biggest opportunities of his career.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
