What next for Ben Whittaker? Three potential opponents for 'The Surgeon' following destructive US bow

Ben Whittaker dazzled and demolished in equal measure, scoring a second-round stoppage over Richard Rivera in the small hours of Sunday morning.

It was, indeed, the statement performance he had promised to deliver in New York, almost stealing the show on the undercard of Jaron 'Boots' Ennis vs Xander Zayas.

But there are, of course, tougher challenges that await the 29-year-old, who is set to headline a Matchroom Boxing show in Birmingham this coming October.

And with promoter Eddie Hearn eager to match his rising star against a domestic opponent, it is worth considering three light-heavyweights that represent realistic options.

Craig Richards

In many ways, Craig Richards represents the most likely opponent for Whittaker, given that he too operates under the Matchroom banner.

The 36-year-old comes off a methodical 12th-round finish over Dan Azeez in December, his performance suggesting that Father Time has not yet gotten the better of him.

Still very much a serviceable player at 175lbs, Richards is perhaps best known for his 12-round effort against Dmitry Bivol, who named ‘The Spider’ as one of his toughest opponents prior to facing Artur Beterbiev.

If nothing else, Richards could offer Whittaker a durable chin and the tricks of a crafty veteran, potentially dragging the flashy stylist into deep waters.

But this, in truth, is the type of test that Whittaker needs, especially with his last four fights resulting in early stoppages.

Zak Chelli

It is fair to say that Team Whittaker – as in, Whittaker himself and promoter Hearn – are hardly enthusiastic about a potential clash with Zak Chelli.

But perhaps they should be, as Chelli not only comes off a stunning upset victory over David Morrell – a far more credible win than any of Whittaker’s – but is also terrific value from a promotional perspective.

The 28-year-old is never slow to highlight his 2-1 record against Whittaker in the amateurs, and has repeatedly claimed to have dropped ‘The Surgeon’ in sparring.

Given recent comments from Whittaker and Hearn, Chelli is perhaps an unlikely option but, even so, there is a chance he secures the opportunity if his fellow British light-heavyweights price themselves out.

In fact, the Londoner’s best bet could be to talk his way into negotiations, simply by antagonising Whittaker to a point where he can no longer be ignored.

Joshua Buatsi

Whittaker has already expressed his interest in a possible showdown with Joshua Buatsi, who has issued no response but could be persuaded by a lucrative sum of money.

The 33-year-old was rumoured to be headlining Matchroom and Queensberry Promotions’ 7v7 card in November, but his rematch with Callum Smith is seemingly no longer on the table.

This is because the Liverpudlian has reportedly been selected to face Bivol early next year, giving Buatsi more of a reason to entertain a fight with Whittaker.

Like Richards and Chelli, the British-Ghanaian brings ample credibility and a seemingly indestructible chin, as evidenced by his titanic tussle with Smith in February 2025.

And despite coming off a subpar performance against Zach Parker, who many believe should have edged their encounter in November, Buatsi is nonetheless ranked No.1 with the WBC and could enter a world title eliminator against the No.2 ranked Whittaker.