Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
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Twinkle Toes
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Rivas is better than Schwarz
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Not even close.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/1 ... conference
Watch a live stream of the Dillian Whyte-Oscar Rivas press conference from 11.30am
Watch a live stream of the Whyte-Rivas press conference on the Sky Sports website, Sky Sports app, Sky Sports Boxing Twitter, Sky Sports Boxing YouTube and Sky Sports Facebook.
Watch a live stream of the Dillian Whyte-Oscar Rivas press conference from 11.30am
Watch a live stream of the Whyte-Rivas press conference on the Sky Sports website, Sky Sports app, Sky Sports Boxing Twitter, Sky Sports Boxing YouTube and Sky Sports Facebook.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Oscar Rivas
Amateur Career
In the amateurs Rivas racked up many notable scalps, such as two-time American champ Mike Wilson at a PanAm qualifier in 2007; Gerardo Bisbal, who is set to make his professional debut imminently; he qualified for the 2008 Olympics through the second American qualifier with a 16:4 victory over Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr., tipped to become Anthony Joshua’s next opponent.
At the Beijing 2008 Olympics he upset European champion Kubrat Pulev, Bulgaria, winning 11:5, but lost to Italian world champion and eventual Olympic champion Roberto Cammarelle.
He also unashamedly lost to some of the world’s elite in Olympic Bronze medalist Michel López Núñez at the 2006 Caribbean Games; to Cuban Robert Alfonso twice in 2007, who is currently undefeated in 18 bouts as a pro; he lost in the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships to Vyacheslav Glazkov, a world title contender who was forced to withdraw through injury in the third round of his IBF world title challenge to Charles Martin in 2016; at the first Olympic qualifier in March 2008 he lost to American Michael Hunter Jr.
He personally said of his amateur career, “I fought every good amateur super-heavyweight of the time, especially in South America. I won silver at the Pan-American games in Brazil, silver at the 2008 American Olympic qualifiers, gold at the 2008 Pan-Am games and in 2008 at the Olympics I beat Kubrat Pulev, 11-5 decision, but I lost 9-5 to the champion Roberto Cammarelle.”
Style
He is very fit, has a high output and heavy hands – 18 KO’s from 26 victories. He has an overhand right that can ice opponents out cold, it’s one of his best shots. He is very quick, sharp and accurate with his punches and likes to throw in twos, usually throwing the first to line up the second. He has a killer instinct and knows when his opponent is in trouble and quickly goes in for the kill.
When quizzed about his own style, he said, “I’m physically strong but I can box. I can do a little bit of everything in a boxing ring. My best punch is my left hook.”
The Stats
Kaboom is 6ft 1” and has a reach of 76½”.
He has boxed 107 rounds from a scheduled 198.
He has 18 Kos from 26 victories, resulting in a 69% KO ratio.
The Opponents
The combined record of his 26 opponents including forthcoming challenger Dillian Whyte stands at 419-220-14.
He has taken the ‘0’ from three of his opponents’ record – Zsolt Zathureczky (3-0), Jeremiah Karpency (12-0-1) and Fabio Maldonado (26-0).
In his 13-fight professional boxing career, he has defeated a world title contender; WBO International champion; a USBA Heavyweight titlist; Pennsylvania State Heavyweight champion;
According to his team, Tyson Fury considered Rivas as his next opponent but declined to make an offer, opting for Tom Schwarz instead.
Career Highlights
Although Oscar Rivas was ahead on the two of three scorecards against Bryant Jennings in January 2019, he took the decision out of the judges’ hands with a dramatic last gasp KO inside the first minute of the final round.
Ranking
The South American is the No.1 ranked boxer in Columbia and is also ranked with all four governing bodies: WBC #10; WBA #6; IBF #7; and WBO #5.
Strap Season
Oscar has collected these belts so far in his career: NABF heavyweight, WBO NABO, and the IBF International title.
Team Kaboom
His promoter is Yvon Michel, who’s promotional outfit is GYM, and his trainer is Marc Ramsey.
Home Is Where the Heart Is
Not very well travelled, he has fought 23 times in his native country Canada and twice in the neighbouring States, although he did journey nearby to our shores when he defeated Gabriel Enguema over 10-rounds in France in 2017.
This is not a reflection on Rivas, however. He learnt his trade at home, racking up an impressive record in his home nation and when a big fight came calling in the States, he took his shot and nailed it! Now, he comes to the UK with staunch plans to do the very same thing to Dillian Whyte. We can expect to see the Columbia-born Canadian packing his bags to fight all over the world from now on.
Heroes
He lists his boxing hero as Antonio Cervantes, a two-time world super-lightweight champion from Columbia and he rates Anthony Joshua as the best heavyweight on the planet right now, with Tyson Fury a close second.
Amateur Career
In the amateurs Rivas racked up many notable scalps, such as two-time American champ Mike Wilson at a PanAm qualifier in 2007; Gerardo Bisbal, who is set to make his professional debut imminently; he qualified for the 2008 Olympics through the second American qualifier with a 16:4 victory over Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr., tipped to become Anthony Joshua’s next opponent.
At the Beijing 2008 Olympics he upset European champion Kubrat Pulev, Bulgaria, winning 11:5, but lost to Italian world champion and eventual Olympic champion Roberto Cammarelle.
He also unashamedly lost to some of the world’s elite in Olympic Bronze medalist Michel López Núñez at the 2006 Caribbean Games; to Cuban Robert Alfonso twice in 2007, who is currently undefeated in 18 bouts as a pro; he lost in the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships to Vyacheslav Glazkov, a world title contender who was forced to withdraw through injury in the third round of his IBF world title challenge to Charles Martin in 2016; at the first Olympic qualifier in March 2008 he lost to American Michael Hunter Jr.
He personally said of his amateur career, “I fought every good amateur super-heavyweight of the time, especially in South America. I won silver at the Pan-American games in Brazil, silver at the 2008 American Olympic qualifiers, gold at the 2008 Pan-Am games and in 2008 at the Olympics I beat Kubrat Pulev, 11-5 decision, but I lost 9-5 to the champion Roberto Cammarelle.”
Style
He is very fit, has a high output and heavy hands – 18 KO’s from 26 victories. He has an overhand right that can ice opponents out cold, it’s one of his best shots. He is very quick, sharp and accurate with his punches and likes to throw in twos, usually throwing the first to line up the second. He has a killer instinct and knows when his opponent is in trouble and quickly goes in for the kill.
When quizzed about his own style, he said, “I’m physically strong but I can box. I can do a little bit of everything in a boxing ring. My best punch is my left hook.”
The Stats
Kaboom is 6ft 1” and has a reach of 76½”.
He has boxed 107 rounds from a scheduled 198.
He has 18 Kos from 26 victories, resulting in a 69% KO ratio.
The Opponents
The combined record of his 26 opponents including forthcoming challenger Dillian Whyte stands at 419-220-14.
He has taken the ‘0’ from three of his opponents’ record – Zsolt Zathureczky (3-0), Jeremiah Karpency (12-0-1) and Fabio Maldonado (26-0).
In his 13-fight professional boxing career, he has defeated a world title contender; WBO International champion; a USBA Heavyweight titlist; Pennsylvania State Heavyweight champion;
According to his team, Tyson Fury considered Rivas as his next opponent but declined to make an offer, opting for Tom Schwarz instead.
Career Highlights
Although Oscar Rivas was ahead on the two of three scorecards against Bryant Jennings in January 2019, he took the decision out of the judges’ hands with a dramatic last gasp KO inside the first minute of the final round.
Ranking
The South American is the No.1 ranked boxer in Columbia and is also ranked with all four governing bodies: WBC #10; WBA #6; IBF #7; and WBO #5.
Strap Season
Oscar has collected these belts so far in his career: NABF heavyweight, WBO NABO, and the IBF International title.
Team Kaboom
His promoter is Yvon Michel, who’s promotional outfit is GYM, and his trainer is Marc Ramsey.
Home Is Where the Heart Is
Not very well travelled, he has fought 23 times in his native country Canada and twice in the neighbouring States, although he did journey nearby to our shores when he defeated Gabriel Enguema over 10-rounds in France in 2017.
This is not a reflection on Rivas, however. He learnt his trade at home, racking up an impressive record in his home nation and when a big fight came calling in the States, he took his shot and nailed it! Now, he comes to the UK with staunch plans to do the very same thing to Dillian Whyte. We can expect to see the Columbia-born Canadian packing his bags to fight all over the world from now on.
Heroes
He lists his boxing hero as Antonio Cervantes, a two-time world super-lightweight champion from Columbia and he rates Anthony Joshua as the best heavyweight on the planet right now, with Tyson Fury a close second.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Im looking forward to this, really interested to see Rivas perform. Tricky night for Dillian.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Decent enough fight for Dillian again. He may never beat the top two (or he might), but he is clearly the most deserving title challenger available. I cannot think of anyone who had a better resume in the HW division but not had a title challenge in recent years.
By the way, is Vyacheslav Glazkov done now? Did that knee turn out to have finished him?
By the way, is Vyacheslav Glazkov done now? Did that knee turn out to have finished him?
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Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Whyte is proof that you can still fight top opponents and not have a belt. as long as you keep winning.
Unfortunately, he demands a purse that forces his Sky/Matchroom to put him on PPV. But hey, he's become a decent attraction and people pay to watch him.
Only thing is, Rivas is even less known that Parker and Whyte in the UK. May be a tougher sell.
Unfortunately, he demands a purse that forces his Sky/Matchroom to put him on PPV. But hey, he's become a decent attraction and people pay to watch him.
Only thing is, Rivas is even less known that Parker and Whyte in the UK. May be a tougher sell.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Quite. This undercard needs proper quality, but Hearn probably thinks that by make Allen v Price it's job done. Be interesting to see if it sells if all that is added are mismatches.Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑29 Apr 2019, 07:59 Whyte is proof that you can still fight top opponents and not have a belt. as long as you keep winning.
Unfortunately, he demands a purse that forces his Sky/Matchroom to put him on PPV. But hey, he's become a decent attraction and people pay to watch him.
Only thing is, Rivas is even less known that Parker and Whyte in the UK. May be a tougher sell.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Yes unfortunately. He hasn't fought since. A shame really.tobyh5 wrote: ↑29 Apr 2019, 07:53 Decent enough fight for Dillian again. He may never beat the top two (or he might), but he is clearly the most deserving title challenger available. I cannot think of anyone who had a better resume in the HW division but not had a title challenge in recent years.
By the way, is Vyacheslav Glazkov done now? Did that knee turn out to have finished him?
"Glazkov was later diagnosed with a completely torn ACL, a dislocated knee, a torn medial meniscus and sprains of his MCL and LCL." F'n ouch!
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Must have been after he tried to continue fighting.
Haye was lucky he didn't damage himself anymore when he carried on for a further 4 rounds against Bellew.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Agreed. That injury though to Glazkov is why I don't rate Martin too high. Not a way to win a fight, much less a title fight.Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑29 Apr 2019, 12:24 Must have been after he tried to continue fighting.
Haye was lucky he didn't damage himself anymore when he carried on for a further 4 rounds against Bellew.
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funso banjo baby
- Heavyweight
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
a great matchup
rivas proved legit against Jennings.
yet more credit to Whyte who is constantly stamping his mark as world number 1
I still maintain Whyte v Wilder, fury and AJ are 50/50 fights
rivas proved legit against Jennings.
yet more credit to Whyte who is constantly stamping his mark as world number 1
I still maintain Whyte v Wilder, fury and AJ are 50/50 fights
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Rivas looks small in comparison ,
Whyte might need to get a bit of a shift on at the gym , he looks like he had a good Easter .
Whyte might need to get a bit of a shift on at the gym , he looks like he had a good Easter .
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Rivas "short" in today's HW standard but is a big hitter and fights at around 235 LBs. This is definitely his biggest test and I can see him coming way with a win.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
So, Whyte has basically been eating since the Chisora KO...
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Ruthless-RKO
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Tickets
Tickets are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £300, £500 and £800 VIP
General Sale tickets are available to purchase NOW from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), The O2 (www.theo2.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)
Rip off tickets.
Tickets are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £300, £500 and £800 VIP
General Sale tickets are available to purchase NOW from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), The O2 (www.theo2.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)
Rip off tickets.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
While Whyte has beaten what has been put in front of him, and they are some of the better fighters out there, that says more about the state of the division.
People shouldn't get over excited about beating Chisora in very competitive fights. If he was a better fighter the Hearns would have worked harder to get him a shot.
People shouldn't get over excited about beating Chisora in very competitive fights. If he was a better fighter the Hearns would have worked harder to get him a shot.
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Yeah - agree 100% Whyte is deserving of his shot and I give him a chance vs Wilder, but that's cos I think Wilder is poor.Coco wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 08:30 While Whyte has beaten what has been put in front of him, and they are some of the better fighters out there, that says more about the state of the division.
People shouldn't get over excited about beating Chisora in very competitive fights. If he was a better fighter the Hearns would have worked harder to get him a shot.
I feel a majority felt he lost vs Chisora in fight one and was 6 minutes potentially from losing fight 2, plus some had him losing to Joseph Parker (it could be easily argued that Ruiz and Fury beat Parker more clearly than Whyte) and he had moments of trouble vs Robert Helenius.
Still his best win / performance has come against Lucas Browne if you ask me and look at Browne since that fight.
Yes, I think he warrants his number #4 ranking, but I wouldn't feel that comfortable against those ranked below him like Pulev and Povetkin etc.
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tiny_acres
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
I agree with all but Hughie over Parker.stujones wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 12:21 Yeah - agree 100% Whyte is deserving of his shot and I give him a chance vs Wilder, but that's cos I think Wilder is poor.
I feel a majority felt he lost vs Chisora in fight one and was 6 minutes potentially from losing fight 2, plus some had him losing to Joseph Parker (it could be easily argued that Ruiz and Fury beat Parker more clearly than Whyte) and he had moments of trouble vs Robert Helenius.
Still his best win / performance has come against Lucas Browne if you ask me and look at Browne since that fight.
Yes, I think he warrants his number #4 ranking, but I wouldn't feel that comfortable against those ranked below him like Pulev and Povetkin etc.
I don't see how anyone could score that for Hughie. He threw nothing
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Yeh. Hency why 2 of the cards were 118-110 for Parker.tiny_acres wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 12:53 I agree with all but Hughie over Parker.
I don't see how anyone could score that for Hughie. He threw nothing
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tiny_acres
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
That's about what I scored it if memory is cotrect
Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
I agree with this. His reputation is a house built on sand.stujones wrote: ↑01 May 2019, 12:21 Yeah - agree 100% Whyte is deserving of his shot and I give him a chance vs Wilder, but that's cos I think Wilder is poor.
I feel a majority felt he lost vs Chisora in fight one and was 6 minutes potentially from losing fight 2, plus some had him losing to Joseph Parker (it could be easily argued that Ruiz and Fury beat Parker more clearly than Whyte) and he had moments of trouble vs Robert Helenius.
Still his best win / performance has come against Lucas Browne if you ask me and look at Browne since that fight.
Yes, I think he warrants his number #4 ranking, but I wouldn't feel that comfortable against those ranked below him like Pulev and Povetkin etc.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas - 20 July 2019
Undercard Update
Richard Riakporhe will make the second defence of his WBA Inter-Continental Cruiserweight title against Chris Billam-Smith on the undercard of Dillian Whyte’s crunch Heavyweight clash with Oscar Rivas at The O2 in London on July 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Riakporhe (9-0, 8KOs) displayed destructive punch power as he halted Belfast’s highly-touted Tommy McCarthy in four rounds last time out at the East of England Arena in Peterborough in March and the Londoner knows that a win over unbeaten Billam-Smith will keep him in contention for a clash with current British Champion Lawrence Okolie.
Billam-Smith (8-0, 7KOs) also holds a perfect record since turning professional in 2017 and the Bournemouth fighter keeps busy on next Friday’s JD NXTGEN show at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham before turning his attention to Riakporhe.
Known as ‘The Gentleman’, Billam-Smith has honed his skills under trainer Shane McGuigan and the 28-year-old is determined to announce himself on the big stage by taking out Riakporhe in style on his first ever PPV event.
“I’m so excited,” said Riakporhe. “I just can’t wait to get in there and get to work. I’ve got tons of potential and fight after fight I’m learning new things. I’ve taken on these big tests, I came into all these fights as the underdog, and my resume is looking quite impressive so far. This is pretty much the beginning and it’s just a matter of time before people realise that I’m the truth.
“I think Chris Billam-Smith is a good fighter, it’s just that there’s levels and I just feel that I’m on another level. He brings good boxing skill, he’s got a good coach in his corner, but once that bell rings he’s going to understand that there’s different levels of fighting. I don’t think he has been up against an opponent like me.
“All my fights and history shows that I have abnormal power and that’s likely to bring issue when we fight for sure, but we’re not only going to rely on that. We’re going to outbox him and beat him in every single department.
“I bring a lot of power and the fans love to see the knockouts. I bring those knockouts as you can see from my last eight fights and I’m going to continue to bring excitement to the fans. I think Lawrence will be watching closely and I believe once I carry on getting the wins, our paths are very likely to cross. It’s going to be a hell of a fight in the future.”
“I believe it’s going to be an exciting fight for the fans,” said Billam-Smith. “You only have to look at our records to see that we both carry knockout power and the ability to end fights at any time. Isaac Chamberlain didn’t want to know so we moved on swiftly and secured a better fight with Riakporhe, I’m not letting anyone stall my career.
“I think I’ll outbox him early on and I believe I’ll take him out when I get the chance – I don’t expect this to go the full ten rounds. I believe that I’ll take him out anywhere between four and six rounds. He’s a good scalp for me at this stage of my career as his record looks great on paper and he can obviously punch a bit. There’s definitely weaknesses there which I plan to exploit.
“This will be the first title that I’ve boxed for as a professional and it’s important to get it under my belt in order to progress. I want to pick up as many belts as I can and move up the rankings quickly. It’s the perfect platform for me with it being on Sky Sports Box Office and at such a great arena that I’ve been to many times as a fan over the years. I’m excited to bring a big fanbase with me and start the show with a bang.”
“Richard is on a good run now and he’s got a lot of confidence behind him,” said Dillian Whyte, manager of Riakporhe. “The people he’s fighting and beating, I believe his resume is a lot better than Lawrence Okolie's so far. If he defeats Billam-Smith in good fashion, which I believe he will do, then he should be looking to fight the likes of Lawrence Okolie by the end of the year.
“Billam-Smith is a good boxer, he’s undefeated, he’ll be confident, but Richard carries a lot of power, he’s on a roll and I think he can stop Billam-Smith in six or seven rounds. With Richard, it’s all about the people he has around him, and the mindset that those people give him. He’s ready to defeat most of these guys in the Cruiserweight division worldwide.”
"It's a great fight and these type of fights don't happen very often," said Barry McGuigan MBE, manager of Billam-Smith. "Most of the guys that are coming up through the ranks are always conscious of the guys that are on a similar level to them with similar records but invariably they avoid each other, certainly in the early stages of their career. It's great to see these two young guys meeting on July 20.
"Riakporhe is definitely known for his punching power and I know that his manager Dillian Whyte thinks Riakporhe can take Billam-Smith out but I disagree with that completely. Of all of the guys that we've had through the gym, I don't think anyone had made the improvements that Billam-Smith has made. He's got great boxing skills and he can bang. He places his shots really well. It's not an easy fight, there's no question about it, but I think he will have too much for Riakporhe - he's too versatile. It's as simple as that."
Richard Riakporhe will make the second defence of his WBA Inter-Continental Cruiserweight title against Chris Billam-Smith on the undercard of Dillian Whyte’s crunch Heavyweight clash with Oscar Rivas at The O2 in London on July 20, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Riakporhe (9-0, 8KOs) displayed destructive punch power as he halted Belfast’s highly-touted Tommy McCarthy in four rounds last time out at the East of England Arena in Peterborough in March and the Londoner knows that a win over unbeaten Billam-Smith will keep him in contention for a clash with current British Champion Lawrence Okolie.
Billam-Smith (8-0, 7KOs) also holds a perfect record since turning professional in 2017 and the Bournemouth fighter keeps busy on next Friday’s JD NXTGEN show at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham before turning his attention to Riakporhe.
Known as ‘The Gentleman’, Billam-Smith has honed his skills under trainer Shane McGuigan and the 28-year-old is determined to announce himself on the big stage by taking out Riakporhe in style on his first ever PPV event.
“I’m so excited,” said Riakporhe. “I just can’t wait to get in there and get to work. I’ve got tons of potential and fight after fight I’m learning new things. I’ve taken on these big tests, I came into all these fights as the underdog, and my resume is looking quite impressive so far. This is pretty much the beginning and it’s just a matter of time before people realise that I’m the truth.
“I think Chris Billam-Smith is a good fighter, it’s just that there’s levels and I just feel that I’m on another level. He brings good boxing skill, he’s got a good coach in his corner, but once that bell rings he’s going to understand that there’s different levels of fighting. I don’t think he has been up against an opponent like me.
“All my fights and history shows that I have abnormal power and that’s likely to bring issue when we fight for sure, but we’re not only going to rely on that. We’re going to outbox him and beat him in every single department.
“I bring a lot of power and the fans love to see the knockouts. I bring those knockouts as you can see from my last eight fights and I’m going to continue to bring excitement to the fans. I think Lawrence will be watching closely and I believe once I carry on getting the wins, our paths are very likely to cross. It’s going to be a hell of a fight in the future.”
“I believe it’s going to be an exciting fight for the fans,” said Billam-Smith. “You only have to look at our records to see that we both carry knockout power and the ability to end fights at any time. Isaac Chamberlain didn’t want to know so we moved on swiftly and secured a better fight with Riakporhe, I’m not letting anyone stall my career.
“I think I’ll outbox him early on and I believe I’ll take him out when I get the chance – I don’t expect this to go the full ten rounds. I believe that I’ll take him out anywhere between four and six rounds. He’s a good scalp for me at this stage of my career as his record looks great on paper and he can obviously punch a bit. There’s definitely weaknesses there which I plan to exploit.
“This will be the first title that I’ve boxed for as a professional and it’s important to get it under my belt in order to progress. I want to pick up as many belts as I can and move up the rankings quickly. It’s the perfect platform for me with it being on Sky Sports Box Office and at such a great arena that I’ve been to many times as a fan over the years. I’m excited to bring a big fanbase with me and start the show with a bang.”
“Richard is on a good run now and he’s got a lot of confidence behind him,” said Dillian Whyte, manager of Riakporhe. “The people he’s fighting and beating, I believe his resume is a lot better than Lawrence Okolie's so far. If he defeats Billam-Smith in good fashion, which I believe he will do, then he should be looking to fight the likes of Lawrence Okolie by the end of the year.
“Billam-Smith is a good boxer, he’s undefeated, he’ll be confident, but Richard carries a lot of power, he’s on a roll and I think he can stop Billam-Smith in six or seven rounds. With Richard, it’s all about the people he has around him, and the mindset that those people give him. He’s ready to defeat most of these guys in the Cruiserweight division worldwide.”
"It's a great fight and these type of fights don't happen very often," said Barry McGuigan MBE, manager of Billam-Smith. "Most of the guys that are coming up through the ranks are always conscious of the guys that are on a similar level to them with similar records but invariably they avoid each other, certainly in the early stages of their career. It's great to see these two young guys meeting on July 20.
"Riakporhe is definitely known for his punching power and I know that his manager Dillian Whyte thinks Riakporhe can take Billam-Smith out but I disagree with that completely. Of all of the guys that we've had through the gym, I don't think anyone had made the improvements that Billam-Smith has made. He's got great boxing skills and he can bang. He places his shots really well. It's not an easy fight, there's no question about it, but I think he will have too much for Riakporhe - he's too versatile. It's as simple as that."