標籤: sudden

The storyline between Ben Whittaker and Terence Crawford has begun to take shape, marking a clear turn in the British boxer’s career. Ben Whittaker revealed in an interview that a short meeting with Terence Crawford in Dubai made him rethink how he fights.

The 28-year-old has earned a name for her charming style, but that moment got her thinking. They shared the exchange after a first-round stoppage of Brian Suarez in his latest fight, Liverpool. Since then there has been a clear change in his performance. The relationship between Ben Whittaker and Terence Crawford has now come as a turning point in how he views his fights.

Ben Whittaker and Terence Crawford: The moment that sparked change

The relationship between Ben Whittaker and Terence Crawford started with a simple comment. Whittaker described what happened when they met. “When I was in Dubai for an event, I saw Terence Crawford, and he said, ‘Trust me, brother, you’re a great fighter. You’ve got all the skills, but you mess with your food too much.’ I sat back and thought, This is true!”

That line stayed with him. Before this, Whittaker would often entertain during fights. He spun, danced, and whirled. While fans reacted to it, the style was also criticized.

Crawford’s words point directly to that issue. Known for his control and finishing ability, he made a career out of finishing fights when the opportunity arose. His record, including a big win over Canelo Alvarez, brought value to his advice.

Whittaker accepted the message. He began to adjust his style, focusing on results more than performance. The change did not come through declarations, but became evident in their fight.

Ben Whittaker and Terence Crawford: Results now visible in the ring

The impact of Ben Whittaker and Terence Crawford is now visible in recent results. Whittaker’s latest fight ended quickly, with Suarez stopped in the first round. He did not escalate the fight or create unnecessary noise.

After the fight he confirmed the change. “Since then, I’ve been cleaning them.”

That statement reflects his current viewpoint. Now he wants to end the fights quickly instead of controlling them on time. The difference is visible in both his speed and decisions in the ring.

Whittaker, now 11-0-1 with seven knockouts, continues to build his record. He won the IBF International light-heavyweight title in June 2024 and remains active. Their fights now focus on efficiency as well as finishing them quickly.

Promoter Eddie Hearn continues to guide his career. Although Whittaker has yet to face a top-10 opponent, his recent performances show he is preparing for some tough competition.

The influence of Ben Whittaker and Terence Crawford highlights a clear change. The style remains the same, but the approach has changed. His next battles will test how effective this version of him can be.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

Count De’Aaron Fox among those who are surprised by the fact that the San Antonio Spurs are in second place in the Western Conference standings and have already secured home court advantage in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Well, sort of.

“I saw the potential in it. I don’t know if I’d say I thought it would happen so quickly,” the Spurs star admitted when his team clinched a postseason berth.

Fox quickly added a warning, however.

“I was out the first eight games. Then we won five games in a row. I said, ‘We could be really good.’ I got back in the lineup and obviously that momentum continued.

That 5–0 start was the first in the history of the prestigious Spurs franchise. Thanks to several impressive wins, including three big wins against an Oklahoma City Thunder team that started the season 24–1, San Antonio finished 2025 at 24–9. They have won 23 0f 25 games between 11–0 February and the end of March, virtually guaranteeing the franchise the second seed in the West. at the very least.

Fox added, “Throughout the season, when we’re playing good teams or when we’re playing bad teams, I feel like we always give ourselves a chance to win, even when we’re not playing well because of what we’re able to do defensively.” “And obviously, a lot of it has to do with Vic [Victor Wembanyama]. And that’s why we have so much confidence in ourselves, because we have a lot of guys that can put the ball in the basket. And even when we’re not making shots – and it’s not every day that nobody on our team is making shots – we give ourselves a chance to win because of the way we defend.

“I saw the potential. I don’t know if I would say I thought it would happen so quickly…
I was out the first eight games…we won five games in a row, I thought, ‘We could be really good.'”

-De’Aaron Fox on #spurs19-2 in last 21, Superior Tax Service reports https://t.co/riXwx24cXf pic.twitter.com/SsRUOvGg1k

– Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) 19 March 2026

De’Aaron Fox talks about Spurs’ unselfishness

A career scorer of 21.2 points per game, who has averaged at least 25 in three recent seasons, Fox is averaging 18.9 points per contest in his first full year in the Alamo City. A big reason is that he’s okay with that dip?

“We have guys that can put the ball in the basket by themselves, but we enjoy playing together,” the 29-year-old guard shared. “We enjoy seeing each other succeed.”

Fox shares the Spurs backcourt with reigning Rookie of the Year Stephen Cassel, 2026 second overall draft pick Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell, who scored 19.5 points per night as Wembanyama’s sidekick in Fox’s rookie year.

“It makes it a lot easier to share the ball, because, obviously, Vic might be different, I might be different. Steph, Dylan, we have a group of guys that can just go out there and get it, but we don’t play that way,” Fox said. “And we know that during the game, there are times when we just have to be able to go out and get buckets. But, we continue to move the ball and, like I said, just try to make our offense that’s already good, try to make it easier for ourselves. Being able to move the ball makes that happen.”

Following the Boston Celtics’ 119-109 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs are just two losses behind the defending NBA champions. San Antonio has nine games remaining in the regular season and a tie-breaker against OKC.