Whittaker lies prone on the canvas following the bizarre accident in Riyadh as officials come to the boxers' aid. /Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
British world-title prospect Ben Whittaker suffered one of the most shocking injuries in boxing in a bizarre incident after both he and his opponent Liam Cameron crashed through the ring ropes in Riyadh.
Wolverhampton light-heavyweight Whittaker, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, is the reigning IBF international champion and is being touted as a future king of the division.
However, his ninth professional fight ended in agony as he left the arena in a wheelchair and was taken to hospital for scans to his injured leg after he and Sheffield's Cameron grappled onto the ropes and tumbled over the top.
Whittaker holds his face while his contest against Cameron is declared a draw. /Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Cameron was sprawled on Whittaker as they fell on the outer canvas towards the end of the fifth round, with the latter unable to get up.
The bout was abandoned due to accidental injury and declared a technical split draw, with Whittaker 58-57 on one scorecard and Cameron ahead by the same score on another with the third tied 58-58.
Whittaker, 27, retains his unbeaten record and his title following the draw on the undercard for the undisputed light-heavyweight world title bout between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.
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