9 months ago
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Tony Bellew called talkSPORT to defend Ben Whittaker's showboating - but warned that anyone who tried that on him would suffer a brutal KO.
Whittaker made the headlines on the Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez card with an impressive knockout of journeyman Khalid Graidia.
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However, the way Whittaker acquitted himself in the bout divided opinion. The Olympic silver medallist fooled around for much of the showdown, dancing around the ring while performing Matrix-like dodges.
The 26-year-old, who boasts a 6-0 pro record has vowed to continue doing so and former world cruiserweight champion Bellew believes Whittaker has every right.
Although Bellew admitted that he wouldn't have had it it if anyone tried those kind of showboats in the ring against him.
On Whittaker's showboating, Bellew said on Drive: "I think it's each to their own. He's a very talented boy... it's not disrespectful, that's just ridiculous to say.
"It's not disrespectful if you're good enough and can get away with it, and he is - but that will change as he goes up in levels, believe you me. You're not doing that against guys like Artur Beterbiev or Sergey Kovalev."
"He's very good at what he does. He's good at creating headlines.
"You've got to understand he's come in against a journeyman who's got absolutely no chance and if he doesn't do what he's doing everyone's forgotten about the fight minutes after they've watched it.
"He wasn't on the main event but people are still talking about him. Kudos to him. It's brilliant."
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When asked by host Jason Cundy if anyone did that to him during his fighting career, Bellew said: "No, mate. They'd have been rendered unconscious!"
Ben Whittaker plays down his recent showboating in the boxing ring against Stiven Leonetti Dredhaj and says he has been doing it his whole career
