Ben Whittaker's recent scare against Conor Wallace has raised questions about whether he has the attributes needed to win a world title, says Sky Sports expert Matthew Macklin.
After controlling the fight from the start, Whittaker was troubled by a left hand from Wallace in the 10th round and then looked ragged in the 12th as he repeatedly slipped to the canvas before clinging on to claim a points win on Saturday in Birmingham.
Whittaker's victory lined up a shot at the IBF light-heavyweight belt which is held by unified champion Dmitry Bivol, but Macklin believes the Olympic silver medallist is not yet ready to challenge the Russian.
"He has the skill, the sleekness, the speed and the savvy to mix it with those guys, but has he got the toughness, the chin, the stamina, the power, the hardness to mix it with those guys over 12 hard rounds? He hasn't shown that so far," Macklin said.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing