ALOYS Junior claims that Viddal Riley, his domestic rival, has swerved a six-figure payday for their potential British cruiserweight title showdown.
The newly-crowned Commonwealth champion comes off a typically explosive performance, extending his ruthless surge in the professional ranks with a third-round finish over David Jamieson.
With his outing last month representing a British title eliminator, too, the 22-year-old is expected to soon emerge as the mandatory challenger for Riley’s coveted Lonsdale Belt.
Only, instead of waiting for his position to be solidified, Junior, 10-1 (9 KOs), has attempted to accelerate his progression and secure the Riley, 13-0 (7 KOs), fight in double-quick time.
From the Londoner’s vantage point, however, it would appear that their intriguing matchup remains a fair distance away from materialising.
According to Junior, Riley – who claimed his British title with a points victory over Cheavon Clarke in April – turned down a lucrative offer for their clash to take place this August.
Instead, the 27-year-old is seemingly more eager to enter his next outing the following month, perhaps even targeting a possible Boxxer show around that time.
That, more than anything, is what Junior insists had caused a breakdown in negotiations, with the Queensberry-promoted puncher wishing to instead fight on neutral ground.
“Viddal Riley’s a little b****; he’s a little princess,” Junior told Boxing News. “He wants everything to be on his terms, but forgets that I’m a Commonwealth champion.
“The August fight in Saudi Arabia [on a Riyadh Season card] was for a six-figure payday. If you’re living the life, then 11 weeks – which is what we offered him – is enough time to train [for a fight].
“They want to get as many advantages as they can, especially with the [officiating]. You’re always at a disadvantage when you’re the away fighter.”
By angling for their fight to take place on a Riyadh Season card, Junior says that he and his team were hoping to remove any – or at least some – promotional interferences.
In saying so, he highlighted Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker as an example where, for one reason or another, the challenger was denied his opportunity to work on the inside.
But regardless of whether the fight happens next, Junior firmly believes that, if and when they eventually collide, he would come away with more than just a pair of belts.
“I’m going to steal everything from him,” he said. “I’m going to steal his publicity, eventually make more money than him, and steal the girls he comes [to the fight] with.
“They want the fight to be on a Boxxer show, but that would mean me making less money than I would [on a Riyadh Season card]. Tell me, how does that make any sense?”
While considering alternative opponents, Junior has also mentioned former world champion Arsen Goulamirian as a potential option for his next assignment.
The Frenchman has not fought since his points defeat to Gilberto Ramirez in March of last year, but nonetheless boasts a lofty second-place ranking with the WBA.
Junior, meanwhile, is the sanctioning body’s fifth-ranked contender, with the fight, should it get made, presenting him with an opportunity to climb closer towards a world title shot.
“There’s some world-level names that I wouldn’t mind destroying,” ‘The Animal’ said. “Possibly Arsen Goulamirian – he’d get his arse whooped.
“No one’s ever knocked him out, so I’d be the first man to knock him out. And maybe then the world will f***cking understand my genius.”
