Ben Whittaker

Ben Whittaker’s next fight in Brooklyn is more than a U.S. debut. It is a small but important step in a plan shaped by childhood mornings spent watching Floyd Mayweather and evenings spent with Everybody Hates Chris. The British light-heavyweight faces Richard Rivera on Saturday on the undercard of Xander Zayas’ WBA and WBO super-welterweight title defence against Jaron Ennis at Barclays Center. For Whittaker, the setting matters almost as much as the bout itself. From Mayweather to Manhattan-sized ambition Whittaker, 29, told BBC Sport that he grew up waking early to watch Mayweather’s biggest fights, including the 2007 meeting with Oscar de la Hoya and the contest with Ricky Hatton. Those nights left a clear impression on him. “I was like, ‘Man, this looks crazy. I want to be involved in something like that’,” he said. “Going into my first fight in America will be the start of that, hopefully.” He has a longer-term destination in mind as well. “I call it baby steps. You start in New York, finish in Vegas,” Whittaker said. Why Brooklyn feels familiar New York also carries a different kind of meaning for the West Midlands boxer. He says the city is tied to Everybody Hates Chris, the semi-autobiographical sitcom based on Chris Rock’s life and set in Brooklyn. “I'd say if New York means anything to me, it means Everybody Hates Chris,” Whittaker said. “I just remember watching it and it was set in New York and Brooklyn.” That connection goes beyond television. Whittaker pointed to the city’s music and fashion scenes, saying both have been part of his life for years. He added that he has been to New York five or six times and has received plenty of support there. “Weirdly, I've been connected to New York a lot of my life, really,” he said. “I've been out there five, six times. I get a lot of love out there, so it's going to be a good one.” The visit to Barclays Center gives Whittaker a chance to test himself on a bigger American stage while keeping his long-term target in view. Brooklyn is the first step, and Las Vegas remains the place he wants his journey to reach. Read more at: www.bbc.com

Whittaker Chases His American Dream, Brooklyn Is Only the First Stop