Whittaker gears up for biggest fight of his career
(CNS): Junior middleweight boxer Charles Whittaker of West Bay is looking forward to the biggest fight of his career when he collides with Philadelphia-born Gabriel Rosado on 21 September, according to Boxing News 24. The winner of the scheduled 12-round contest will become the No. 1 IBF contender and official mandatory challenger for current IBF Champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage. The boxing website states that Premier McKeeva Bush will be joining Whittaker at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA, to support the Cayman contender. “This fight means the world to me,” Whittaker is quoted as saying. “I have paid my dues and ready to be number one in the world. After this fight I will challenge for the IBF 154 world title.”
The 38-year-old boxer from West Bay has been in few high-profile matches during his 19 year career but has marked up 38 wins including 23 knockouts, with 12 losses and 2 draws.
Whittaker gained the No. 2 slot in the IBF ratings due to a pair of 12-round victories in his two most recent fights–over Keenan Collins, of Reading, PA, 14 months ago in the Cayman Islands for the vacant USBA Junior Middleweight title, and over Giorbis Barthelemy of Cuba, last November, in Miami, FL, Boxing News 24 says.
He has beaten former world-title challenger Billy Lyell and he has been in the ring with some of thebest, losing to Troy Rowland, Mikkel Kessler, Shannon Taylor and Hercules Kyvelos early in his career.
“There are some people who told me I would never make it as a professional boxer and I have proved them wrong,” Whittaker said. “When I step into the ring on September 21 it will be no different. I know Rosado will be game but I have the experience and I am hungry to win.”
His opponent Rosado, 26, of Philadelphia, PA, earned the No. 3 slot in the IBF ratings and mainstream attention this year with consecutive knockout victories over Jesus Soto-Karass of Mexico, and over Sechew Powell of Brooklyn, NY. The win over Sechew Powell sent Rosado into the top 10 ranked 154 lb. fighters in the world.
A pro since 2006, Rosado has a 20-5 record, 12 K0s. He has won his last six fights and also has defeated ex-IBF champ Kassim Ouma of Uganda, and contender Saul Roman of Mexico.
The Whittaker-Rosado bout is one of three set to be televised 21 September by the NBC Sports Network Fight Night series. The main fight of the night will be Gabriel Campillo, of Spain, vs. Sergey Kovalev, of Russia, in a 10 round light-heavyweight bout; and Ronald Cruz vs. Antwone Smith.
The Whittaker-Rosado fight will start the action beginning at 9 pm.
Category: Sports
Congratulations to you! It was absolutely pleasure to me as a supporter for this boxing competition. More power to you and have a blissful day.
I used to be Charles biggest fan, even donated money for his fights, but now that I see how he has soiled himself with the UDP I will not be supporting him again. I guess they are right boxing is tarnished.
charles is a real pro…
You people are so wack,this is not about Premier Bush, this is about our champion Charles "The killer" Whittaker soon to be WORLD CHAMPION,just to let you all know, Mr whittaker is also a proud member and supporter of the UDP,eat your little hearts out.
It is only the IBF, it is not real.
you better enjoy your free travel now because come May 2013 you will have to hitch a ride with your buddy Dart OR M-Ryan on their jet lmao! W-Bayers enjoy your free bees now also! THE CUT WILL BEGIN MAY 2013 LOL!
Caymanian
He is just taking his clean hands and pure heart on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem.
12:41 LMAO!!!! Better yet lets have a fundraiser boxing event and put Alden and Macmouth in the ring for a round or two!!!! I would take my whole paycheck to watch that!!!! I bet even pay per view would want the rights! Macmouth you need to stay home and tae note of all that is ailing your country and failing under your leadership…..don't embarass us anymore by going overseas like you are some world leader or something you are not….Third world leader would even be a stretch. Stay home in West Bay and take a pay cut yourself and demand it from your cronies if you really want to do something worthwhile and respectable at such a time as this……oooops forgot……you are not one to ever do the right thing.
I guess he didn't get a call back from the studio after his acting debut against one man one vote, ahh well, there is always the income from the nation building fund and a free trip to vegas to look forward to.
Surely Piggy Mac is not feasting at the trough again? Can someone urgently check that absolutely no public money will be spent on this event? It is a really unimportant fight, as the IBF rankings are a joke and everyone knows that. Just compare them to the other federation rankings and the Fight News rankings. Whittaker is not ranked highly by anyone other than the IBF. There is absolutely no reason for any public official to be there.
Dear Charles,
If you truly want to be recognized as the peoples champion and someone who will go down in history as a local hero you need to stay away from the UDP. I know they promise you lots of money and fame but they are using you for votes. Look how many times the Sports Minister has let you down. We heard this from your own mouth my brother. Now they are going to use the Nation Building Fund to pay your purse and your trainer while almost 9000 Caymanians are on wellfare. Charles have a heart, step away from the UDP then open an account and ask the public to finance your fight. I am sure that when you do that every Caymanian will support you financially. Imagine if just 5,000 gave $50 you would have $250,000.
Come on Charles do it for Cayman, you know you have kids looking up to you, do you want to leave them with this legacy to follow? The UDP is ruining your career.
But the fight is at a caisson. don't you understand???
Will Swanky be playing the pre-fight show?
If I was a betting man I would bet that the killa gets a good whopping..
Sorry I just could not resist and I hope he wins but my $50 is on Rosado…
While families are losing their homes, due to the 3.2 percent cut from salaries, McKeeva and Charles will be at the casino living the good life with the money "saved" from taking the 3.2 COLA back from civil servants
This is "our" nation-building hard at work. Where do you think Charles gets his protion money from?
Is this what he is doing with his $100,000 nation building salary…an undercard fight once per year? Zzzzz
I am sure Mac will write this junket off to his government expense account. So that the people can pay for it. I am equally as sure that he will take his entourage with him at our expense.
We know how he loves a good fight and the casinos. XXXXX
Someone call the Sands and tell them that the ATM has to be topped up before this fight.
Given all our cuts, can we be assured that Mckeeva Bush is going on a private visit and not an official visit as this would really be rubbing all our noses in it. We have not been able to go on courses because of the travel embargo.
Its my birthday on the 21st September, can someone let Mac know so i can join the entourage to the US.
I tole you Keewa need waycation! Casino and ring girls be de icing on de cake!
Charles, sit this one out man and let Maceeva go in the ring – see if Rosado can knock some sense into him!!
Is McKeeva paying his own airfare? I can't see what benefit his presence at the fight will bring to the Cayman islands.