Matchroom Boxing has crossed the ocean to bring two prime fighters together in Birmingham, and the stakes are high. Ben Whittaker, a 29-year-old English boxer, meets 30-year-old Australian southpaw Conor Wallace in an IBF light heavyweight title eliminator at Utilita Arena Birmingham on Saturday, Oct. 3. The winner gets a shot at unified champion Dmitry Bivol.
The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds, with ringwalk expected around 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The main event starts at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
Who Is Ben Whittaker and Conor Wallace
Whittaker comes in at 12-0-1. Wallace carries a record of 17-1-0. Both men are in their primes, and both are looking to move forward in the division.
Whittaker is the favorite to win the main event. Wallace, though, brings a technical precision that could keep him in the fight. A 12-round decision loss would not be surprising.
The Venue and the Crowd
Utilita Arena Birmingham hosts the fight, and the venue has drawn big names in the past. Fans who attended past fights saw Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Idris Elba, Maya Jama and others in attendance.
It is likely that the same crowd will be out again on Oct. 3.
How to Watch the Fight
DAZN is the streamer for this event. Subscribers get full access to the main event and the undercard, with all bouts free to watch.
For those who do not already have a subscription, DAZN offers a pay-per-view option. The base tier costs $24.99/month, and the Ultimate Tier runs $49.99/month. That second plan includes access to 12 other PPV events throughout the year at no extra cost, along with more than 100 live fights, fight replays, highlights and documentaries.
The $49.99 tier is the one worth considering if you want to see the Bivol eliminator and the rest of the card. It is a flat monthly subscription price rather than a per-fight charge.
The Full Fight Card
The main event is the draw, but the undercard is deep. Here is how the night breaks down:
- Light Heavyweight: Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace — Main Event
- Junior Middleweight: Bilal Fawaz vs. Eithan James
- Flyweight: Sean Bruce vs. Hamza Uddin
- Junior Lightweight: Ibraheem Sulaimaan vs. Sonny Hardy
- Super Middleweight: Klinton Baptiste vs. Aaron Bowen
- Junior Lightweight: Adam Maca vs. TBA
- Middleweight: Harley Burrows vs. TBA
- Women’s Lightweight: Paige Murney vs. Linzi Buczynskyj
- Junior Middleweight: Odel Kamara vs. TBA
The TBA opponents remain to be confirmed, but the card is stacked across the weight divisions.
What the Winner Gets
The winner of the main event earns a shot at Bivol. That is the prize, and it is a significant one in the sport.
Bivol holds the unified title, and a win over Whittaker or Wallace puts the next man in line.
The Bottom Line
This is a fight with real meaning behind it. The winner gets a title shot, and the loser heads back to the drawing board.
Whittaker is the favorite, but Wallace is a very technical boxer. A 12-round decision loss would not be a surprise, and Wallace could manage to survive all 12 rounds to win as the underdog. The undercard is deep.
For anyone who wants to watch, DAZN is the place to be. The $49.99 Ultimate Tier is the best deal for those who want access to the Bivol eliminator and the rest of the year’s PPVs.
Key Facts Box
– Main Event: Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace, 12 rounds
– Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
– Start Time: 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
– Ringwalk: Expected around 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
– Venue: Utilita Arena Birmingham, Birmingham, England
– DAZN tiers: $24.99/month (base), $49.99/month (Ultimate Tier)
– Winner gets: Shot at unified champion Dmitry Bivol
The fight is a chance to see two prime fighters push each other. It is a title eliminator, and the winner gets the biggest prize in the division. Whittaker is the favorite, but Wallace is a very technical boxer. It should be a good fight.
Source material: “Ben Whittaker vs. Conor Wallace: Here’s Where to Watch the Title Eliminator Boxing Match Live Online,” Variety.
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