One reporter asked Hearn whether Whittaker’s next fight would represent a “dramatic step up” in competition after Rivera.
Rather than naming potential opponents, Hearn challenged the question itself.
“You try and ask challenging questions, but they’re f***ing questions,” Hearn said before insisting the decision would be made by Whittaker’s team, not outside critics.
“The next fight will be another step up, like tonight was a step up. What you do is you keep stepping up, and you keep producing the performances, and you keep going through the levels.”
When the reporter again asked whether the next opponent would represent a dramatic increase in difficulty, Hearn became even more dismissive.
“It will be a step up, and it will be the step up that him, me and the team think is appropriate for the timing of his career, and it will have absolutely nothing to do with you.”
The exchange became the story because the question itself was a routine one. Rather than criticizing Whittaker, the reporter was asking for specifics about where Matchroom intends to take the unbeaten light heavyweight next.
Whittaker, now 13 fights into his professional career, is already 29 years old and arrived in the paid ranks as one of Britain’s most decorated amateurs after winning Olympic silver in Tokyo. His recent opponents have drawn criticism from fans, who believe Matchroom has been moving him carefully while showcasing his speed and growing punching power.
Rivera, 35, entered the bout after more than a year out of the ring. Although Hearn described him as a legitimate step up, many fans viewed him as another manageable assignment rather than the type of opponent capable of testing Whittaker at world level.
Later in the press conference, Hearn took a calmer approach when another reporter asked about future opponents. He ruled out Craig Richards but mentioned Anthony Yarde and Willie Hutchinson as domestic options, while also saying the long-term goal is to position Whittaker for a world title shot. He added that jumping straight from Rivera to fighters such as Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol would not be the right move.
