Ben Whittaker’s new trainer Andy Lee ahead of Liam Cameron rematch: ‘I’m putting my reputation on the line too’

Ben Whittaker has made changes ahead of his rematch with Liam Cameron.

After an extraordinary fall, that saw both fighters tumble out of the ring, their first fight ended in a contentious technical decision draw.

They will rematch on Sunday in Birmingham, live on Sky Sports, and Whittaker will have a new trainer in his corner.

Former WBO middleweight world champion and well-regarded professional coach Andy Lee is now working with the Olympic silver medallist.

“I just saw a fighter who is immensely talented, who needs guidance, structure,” Lee told Sky Sports. “Behind all the persona is a very humble, honest, determined young man.

“A talent like Ben needs mentoring. It needs channelling, it needs guiding and that’s why I thought it would be a travesty to see such a fighter like this lose or not reach his potential because of lack of the right coaching.”

It will be an intensely pressurised occasion, headlining at the bp pulse LIVE arena in a high-stakes rematch, especially for a first fight in a new trainer-boxer partnership.

“Trust and relationships are built over time. We don’t have that luxury of time,” Lee said. “But a lot of talking is done during the training camp.

“You have to communicate, know what makes them tick and how they think.”

He added of Whittaker: “I don’t see any ceiling on how good he is. I think he’s potentially a world champion. I don’t want to go over the top but from what I’m seeing in the gym, so exciting to watch, such a pleasure to watch and he can do pretty much anything he wants to in the sport.

“But you have to go through the steps and earn it. It’s not given just because you’re talented. You have to work for it and earn it.”

Whittaker, early in his professional career, had previously tended to make headlines with his often spectacular showboating.

He was though heavily criticised after the draw with Cameron. “It’s the nature of the world we live in today,” Lee said, “but it’s a good lesson for him because he’s had those incredible highs of going viral with all the showboating clips and now he’s had the reverse of that with criticisms from every corner of the world.

“It’s probably a great lesson for him as a fighter but also as a human being to take everything with a pinch of salt, the highs and the lows, the praise and the criticism.

“One day you’re the hero and the next day you’re the villain.”

It’s a must-win fight for Whittaker. But going into the Cameron rematch, Lee believes his own reputation is at risk.

“We’re both in it together anyway. My reputation and his reputation are both on the line. We’re both working hard to win,” he said.

“I’ll put that all on the line for Ben. I back him all the way.”

Why Lee?

It was Andy Lee who initially reached out to Whittaker after watching the first fight with Cameron.

“I always wanted a change. I knew it was going to come,” Whittaker told Sky Sports. “I was always going to change but it was just when.”

The appeal of Lee as his trainer was clear to Whittaker. “He’s a person I’ve always looked up to in boxing. He’s done what I want to achieve, he’s a world champion,” he said.

“He’s produced champions himself, he’s a champion himself.”

Whittaker has moved his training camp to Dublin to work with Lee.

“You cut the distractions out and it’s just about having fun and working while doing it,” he said.

“I’m loving every minute of it, I’m learning and we’re a good combination.”

Watch the Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron rematch on Sunday live on Sky Sports.