Ben Whittaker wants Anthony Yarde next, but moving on from Conor Wallace would look like leaving unfinished business behind. Whittaker performed poorly enough against Wallace that the decision was debatable. Targeting Yarde after his stoppage loss to David Benavidez hardly answers what went wrong.
Eddie Hearn has chosen Yarde, 35, as Whittaker’s preferred opponent for a February or March 2027 return, according to OutBoxing’s report of his IFLTV appearance. Lewie Edmondson, Lyndon Arthur and the Joshua Buatsi-Willy Hutchinson winner are also among the possibilities. Yarde is coming off a knockout loss to David Benavidez, and hasn’t fought in a year.
The issue is what Whittaker did to deserve moving past Wallace. He got the decision, but his late collapse left an argument that he was fortunate to escape with his unbeaten record. Wallace exposed weaknesses that a mandatory challenger should have to address before the conversation turns to bigger names.
A rematch would require Whittaker to beat the man who just gave him trouble. Choosing Yarde instead risks looking like an attempt to collect a recognizable name from a fighter coming off another damaging defeat.
Yarde can punch, and that makes him dangerous. But danger alone does not make this an upward move. His name carries more commercial value than Wallace’s, while his condition after the Benavidez defeat gives Whittaker’s team a reason to fancy the matchup. That combination deserves a harder look than the usual praise for choosing an experienced opponent.
Whittaker is 29. He needs top competition and performances that establish he belongs at that level. His Wallace fight failed to provide that evidence, regardless of the official result.
Beating Yarde would not erase it either. Until Whittaker settles the Wallace argument, moving toward a recently stopped opponent would leave the impression that his team prefers a more marketable route around the problem.
This move screams damage control. When a promoter hurries a fighter past an embarrassing night against an unheralded opponent, everyone in boxing recognizes the play.
Boxing fans see right through that tactic. Skipping Wallace fails to protect Whittaker. Walking away confirms he could not handle someone who ignored the theatrical clowning to deliver steady punishment. If he takes the Yarde route, the cloud over the Wallace decision follows him into every arena.
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Boxing • Anthony Yarde • Ben Whittaker Wants Anthony Yarde After Unsettled Wallace Business