Light heavyweight Ben Whittaker (11-0, 8 KOs) will make his United States debut on June 27, 2026, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Whittaker faces Richard Rivera (27-2, 20 KOs) on the undercard of the Xander Zayas vs. Jaron Ennis main event. The announcement follows Whittaker’s first-round stoppage of Braian Suarez on April 18, marking his second win in two fights under the Matchroom Boxing banner. Conversely, Rivera enters the ring following a huge layoff; his last outing was a January 2025 victory over Roger Guerrero. A win for Whittaker would significantly bolster his title aspirations. Currently ranked 5th by the IBF and 3rd by the WBC, Whittaker understands that a dominant performance moves him one step closer to a clash with WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez.