FOLLOWING a disappointing and unsuccessful challenge for Chris Billam-Smith’s WBO world title last June, Richard Riakporhe, 17-1 (13 KOs), is set to embark on a new quest in the heavyweight division.
‘The Midnight Train’ was scheduled to take on fellow Londoner Lawrence Okolie, 21-1 (16 KOs), on next weekend’s card, headlined by Joe Joyce vs Filip Hrgovic, in his debut at the weight.
However, it has since been revealed that Okolie withdrew from the contest due to an injury, although Riakporhe remains unconvinced.
Riakporhe and Okolie were linked with one another for a number of years as cruiserweights and, with both setting about their gradual progression to become fully fledged heavyweight contenders, it is a fight that still makes a lot of sense.
Yet Okolie’s first-round demolition of Hussein Muhamed in December saw him capture the WBC silver title, and that, coupled with his success to become the WBC bridgerweight champion in the fight prior, saw him get installed as the number one-ranked contender with the WBC.
Shortly afterwards, it was revealed that Okolie had pulled out of his fight with Riakporhe, with the latter informing talkSPORT of his suspicions that the timing of his injury was no coincidence, insinuating that Okolie is instead opting to patiently wait for a title shot rather than risk his favourable position.
“I have not heard anything,” Riakporhe said. “My team said that they are going to enquire and ask for proof of the injury, but there’s been nothing.
“Me personally, I don’t think that he was injured. I think that it should be imperative for us fighters [to show proof of injuries].
“When we are training in camp, we are also spending money on sparring partners and preparation.”
“Once I heard that he was upgraded to the number one position in the WBC, I think that is when things started to fall through.”
A disappointed Riakporhe, who recently made the switch to train under Billy Nelson in Scotland, then went on to reveal that he would not be allowing his training to go to waste, declaring that he is expecting to make his heavyweight debut on the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn undercard next month.
“Fortunately, my team have been talking back and forth with Boxxer and Ben Shalom, and they have pretty much confirmed me for [April 26] on the Eubank-Benn card,” he added.
