British boxing star Ben Whittaker found himself in hot water at a Saudi Arabian airport after a confrontation with a fan led to him smashing the fan’s phone. This shocking incident came just hours after the former Olympian’s dramatic draw with Liam Cameron at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Whittaker, 27, injured his leg during the bizarre bout, where he and Cameron both tumbled over the ropes at the end of the fifth round. While Cameron managed to get back up, Whittaker was left on the floor, clutching his leg and later exiting the arena in a wheelchair.
The frustration of the evening boiled over into a public altercation at King Khalid International Airport.
Witnesses reported seeing the IBF light-heavyweight champion at the airport after midnight, visibly limping with his ankle wrapped in bandages. Tensions flared when a fan, who was also a passenger on the same flight to Heathrow, approached Whittaker for a photo.
The boxer, already on edge, snapped when the fan attempted to take the picture, angrily telling him, “Don’t take no photos of me,” before grabbing the phone and smashing it to the floor.
According to a bystander, Whittaker appeared ready to escalate the situation physically, but his team quickly intervened, preventing a full-blown altercation.
The witness recalled, “Things got really heated, and they were shouting at each other before airport security stepped in.”
Both Whittaker and the fan, who was sporting boxing merchandise, were briefly detained by airport authorities, and their passports were taken. However, the situation de-escalated when Whittaker offered to compensate the fan for the broken phone, and the two exchanged details.
Oddly enough, they were seen sitting side by side in a nearby coffee shop, writing down their information.
Whittaker later expressed his regret over the incident, stating, “This was an unfortunate situation, and I’m grateful the gentleman accepted my apology. We are in touch to resolve the matter, and I’ve offered to replace his phone and invite him to a future event as my guest.”
Despite the initial tension, it appears that cooler heads prevailed in the end, and both men boarded their flight back to the UK without further incident. However, Whittaker’s outburst comes at a challenging time for the fighter, whose match with Cameron ended in a draw due to his leg injury.
Fans will be watching closely to see how this incident impacts Whittaker’s future, both in and out of the ring.
