EN. “I wanted to get into a sport that demanded respect from the public so boxing was perfect.” View our online Press Pack. That's one thing that a lot of these fighters, they realise that when I get in the ring with them. Even then he was committed to mastery.”. Despite Riakporhe being just seven bouts into his career in the paid ranks, the 6ft 5ins cruiserweight has shared the ring with the likes of Chris Eubank Jr and Lawrence Okolie while also spending time training with good friend and 'mentor' Dillian Whyte and his trainer Mark Tibbs. McCarthy is the more experienced fighter, he has had almost double the professional fights Riakporhe has had, he has been 12 rounds, Riakporhe hasn't been 8 full rounds, but also, McCarthy didn't have a bad amateur career, fought in an AIBA world tournament in 2013, won the silver medal at the commonwealth games in 2010. 25.9k Followers, 430 Following, 323 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Richard Riakporhe (@r_riakporhe) Riakporhe graduated Kingston university in 2015 having enrolled in a Bachelors of Sciences degree, The boxer posing with school children - he often gives speeches talking about his story, Heavyweight Whyte is a mentor to Riakporhe - the two frequently train together, Riakporhe working alongside Whyte's trainer Mark Tibb's in the Miguel's Boxing Gym, Joshua pictured with his three world heavyweight titles after beating Alexander Povetkin - Riakporhe sparred him in 2011, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Glover had more success in the fourth, with both fighters landing solid jabs and hooks to the head. However, Riakporhe cited the opportunity to be a part of a history making night in Manchester gives him the feeling that he has ‘already won’. Okolie will take another step-up in class when he challenges Yves Ngabu for the European title on a bumper bill at The O2 on October 26, live on Sky Sports Box Office, with Riakpohe hoping his rival emerges victorious to stay on course for an explosive future fight. “He progressively stabbed three of us - with my injuries unfortunately being the worst. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. It was an amazing experience. Boxing I want my name to go down in history, with all the past champions. "I feel like there's a lot of things that I done wrong in my last fight that I'm going to rectify in this fight and show people that I'm potentially a force to be reckoned with, and it's just a matter of time before I get to the top. Due to blood around the lungs, he could barely breathe. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. "That's one thing about me, I don't have no Olympic background, none of all of that glamorous stuff. !FIGHT NEWS 😮! He's got my respect. In the second-round, Smith stayed at range behind the jab, landing hooks and straight right hands to bloody Glover's nose. It's just a matter of time before we meet. In 2012 Riakporhe enrolled into Kingston University and graduated with a BSc in Marketing and Communications, something he did not believe was possible. The 28-year-old prepares for the biggest fight of his career this Saturday when he meets fellow Brit Sam Hyde on the undercard of the Oleksandr Usyk and Tony Bellew showdown. "I'm so happy, this is like a dream come true," Riakporhe told Sky Sports. Following a fast start from Smith, he scored a knockdown at the end of the first round after three left hooks forced Thorley to go down on one knee. Find out more about cookies. I'm ready to go in there and do what I do best. DE. "He also beat Chris Billam-Smith I heard in the amateurs. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. "The stabbing was extremely life-changing for me and my family. You see that title, it's such a prestigious title and to be honest, I feel like a lot of people don't honour this title enough. BoxRec.com uses cookies to make the site simpler. [7], After compiling a record of 9–0 (8 KO), he faced fellow undefeated British prospect Richard Riakporhe (9–0, 8 KO) for the WBA Inter-Continental cruiserweight title on 20 July 2019 at the O2 Arena in London. Imagine if I had these systems to develop my skill and stuff. Riakporhe displayed his grit against Chris Billam-Smith in July, claiming his 10th win by split decision at The O2, and wants to further enhance his reputation as one of the top fighters in a hotly contested domestic division. However, it is not the Haringey Box Cup gold medal nor his undefeated professional record that the Londoner ranks as his biggest life achievement. "He's a good opponent," said Riakporhe. “This led me to find pain, havoc, endless want, and paranoia.