Liam Cameron says he was paid an “absolute fortune” to agree that Saturday’s rematch with Ben Whittaker should be over 10 rounds.
The light-heavyweight initially signed a deal for a 12-round contest in Birmingham after Whittaker’s promoters, Boxxer, made a mistake on the contract which was sent to Cameron.
But Boxxer insisted the contest should instead be 10 rounds, like the first fight, and with the rematch in jeopardy, Cameron was paid an undisclosed fee to agree to the new terms.
“They paid me an absolute fortune to get it [down] from a 12 round,” Cameron said at Friday’s news conference.
“If I were Ben, I’d say I’m fighting 12 and get that psychological edge. He could have called my bluff. I could have wanted to fight 10 all this time.”
The first fight ended in bizarre circumstances last October when both men fell over the ropes and Whittaker was unable to continue because of an injury.
It went to judges and was scored a split-decision draw, but Whittaker left the arena in a wheelchair before the results were read out.
Olympic silver medallist Whittaker, 27, had cruised through his first seven fights and became a viral hit for his showboating and highlight-reel finishes, although some purists felt his flashy behaviour was disrespectful towards opponents.
The West Bromwich fighter’s stock dropped when many onlookers had Cameron winning their first meeting comfortably before it was stopped.
“I believe that was the best chance to get me and he didn’t,” Whittaker, who has won eight pro fights with the one draw, said.
He has since joined coach Andy Lee and says he has “got structure” to his training.
Cameron, meanwhile, feels like he “has won the lottery” after his performance against Whittaker in Saudi Arabia earned him a contract with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.
The 34-year-old from Sheffield battled depression and alcohol issues while serving a four-year ban from boxing because of an anti-doping violation in 2019.
“I have grabbed every opportunity with both hands and made the most I can get,” Cameron, who has won 23 fights, lost six and drawn one, said.
Despite the controversy of the first fight and the rounds dispute, it was an otherwise civil and respectful news conference which ended in a handshake.
Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke returns to action on the undercard at BP Pulse Live Arena, facing Ebenezer Tetteh.
Clarke insisted he is “healthy” and that “there is a lot more to come” in his career after he had surgery on his jaw and cheekbone following a first-round stoppage loss to Fabio Wardley in October.
“I’ve been hit before, I’ve been injured before,” the 33-year-old said.
“No-one has to worry about me. I’m fit, I’m firing, I’m in one piece. A lot has been made of the injury.”
