Lawrence Okolie vs. Richard Riakporhe | DAZN - April 5, 2025 (OFF)

[Ruthless-RKO]

LAWRENCE OKOLIE INJURED, FIGHT WITH RIAKPORHE OFF; ITAUMA IN LINE FOR SPOT ON APR. 5 CARD

THE All-London derby between Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakporhe scheduled for April 5 is now off, The Ring can reveal.

The pair had been set to draw a line under years of rivalry in a heavyweight showdown at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester - but they will have to wait a little longer to face each other after Okolie sustained an injury in training.

Preparations for Riakporhe (17-1, 13 KOs) meanwhile, appear to have been going well and on Wednesday he uploaded a picture of him and hard-hitter Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) after sparring. It is unclear at this stage whether or not the 35-year-old will still box or sit this date out and wait for a rescheduled clash with Okolie (21-1, 16 KOs).

Things were seemingly on track for Okolie too. The 32-year-old had flown sparring partners out to Dubai for training camp and earlier this week, during an exclusive interview with The Ring, had insisted prep for his second heavyweight fight was ‘all good’. He had even been placed at No.1 in the new WBC rankings but any assault on the world title will have to wait after this injury.

The news comes after the show was already dealt a significant blow when Dillian Whyte pulled out of the planned main event against Joe Joyce due to a hand injury.

And now Queensberry Promotions will have to find a new chief support given this latest news. It is understood the show, which will launch Queensberry’s new long-term mega-money deal with DAZN, came close to getting pulled completely.

But the show will go on with the likes of Mark Chamberlain and professional debutant Delicious Orie still set to feature on the card, not to mention the English heavyweight title fight between David Adeleye and Jeamie TKV.

Sources have also revealed that Moses Itauma could be a late addition to the card as a replacement for the Okolie-Riakporhe clash.

The 20-year-old starlet is 11-0 (9) and is yet to box this year having iced Demsey McKean inside two minutes in Riyadh on December 21. He has until the middle of May to beat Mike Tyson’s record as history’s youngest world heavyweight champion and while unlikely to achieve that, he may get the chance of a big fight here.

And there is still some work to do on the main event, with 39-year-old Joyce fit and ready to fight following the withdrawal of Whyte. Reports have suggested that Filip Hrgovic is ready to step in with an announcement from Queensberry expected this week.

Hrgovic is 32 years old and yet to box since he was stopped by IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh back on June 1.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Funny how tho has happened just after Okolie said he wanted to challenge Kabayel for the WBC belt.

I mean he #1 ranked too.

[gregregegg]

This was a great fight. But if Okolie knows the wbc will be called soon and can get a crack at kabayal he shoulda

[Jimmy2025]

Funny how tho has happened just after Okolie said he wanted to challenge Kabayel for the WBC belt.

I mean he #1 ranked too.

Unfortunately we can't trust any of these people.

If FW is going to throw Joyce under the bus he should let Moses be the driver not Hrgovic. There's no upside to Frank in letting Filip smash Joyce up, but that's what would happen at this point.

Joyce v Itauma is the fight I would save this card with.

[funso banjo baby]

This bill is haunted

[Jimmy2025]

This bill is haunted

Hopefully a positive announcement later today or tomorrow. If not, I think the show will be pulled.

[tony1234]

Who would you put Moses on with at such short notice ? Can't see it being anyone decent