Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker turns professional

Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker has turned professional and signed a long-term promotional deal with the Boxxer organisation.

The 24-year-old light-heavyweight, who also won world silver in 2019, will work with Tyson Fury’s trainer SugarHill Steward, and has joined Anthony Joshua’s 258 Management team.

Whittaker was one of the stand-out performers in the British team at last summer’s Olympics, falling just short in his final against Cuba’s Arlen Lopez.

Whittaker did enough to impress Joshua, who described the flamboyant fighter as a “future pay-per-view star,” while Steward added: “I’m totally thrilled to have been sought out and chosen by Ben Whittaker.

“I consider Ben to be on the talent level of a Roy Jones Jr in transitioning from amateur into a professional world champion superstar status.”