After a brilliant knockout victory, Ben Whittaker experiences a moment of shock: burglars ransack his house and even steal his IBF belt.
British light heavyweight contender Ben Whittaker suffered a bitter aftermath after his explosive performance in Birmingham. No sooner had he celebrated his Matchroom debut with a brutal first-round knockout win over Benjamin Gavazi than Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 knockouts) returned home – to find his house completely robbed.
The 27-year-old addressed his fans that night via Instagram: “Highs and lows in this sport. I come home and my house has been robbed. Wednesbury – there’s a big reward. Find these people, let me know.”
What was particularly shocking was that the burglars had even stolen one of his belts. “They even took my IBF belt,” Whittaker explained, stunned. “What do they want with it? Report to my DMs, there’s a big reward, thank you.”
The stolen title is the IBF International Belt, which Whittaker won in a ten-round fight against Ezra Arenyeka in June 2024.
The incident is one in a series of break-ins in the region around Birmingham, which have recently seen an increasing number of professional footballers’ homes being targeted during their away games.
Whittaker’s winning night at the National Exhibition Centre, which underlined his high-profile switch to Eddie Hearn, turned abruptly from a career highlight into an emotional low blow.