Richard Riakporhe is confident that Deion Jumah won’t be able to withstand his shots when the two unbeaten cruiserweights fight tomorrow night.
Both fighters had been matched together after their original opponents Fabio Turchi and Mikael Lawal pulled out with injury.
At yesterday’s final press conference Riakporhe took a shot at Jumah’s inactivity and the number of fights he has had since turning professional.
“Looking into Deion, it’s interesting. He’s been pro for a very long time, only had 14 fights, never had any significant wins. It makes you wonder what is going on with him. He calls himself ‘The Ghost’ – he has been a ghost. It just shows there’s different levels, you know?
“I don’t know, I think there’s something about it. Maybe it’s bad luck [on his part], I don’t know. But we’re going to put our finger on it on Saturday night.
“He’s been talking a good game and he’s undefeated as well. I understand how undefeated fighters are quite stubborn but once I start letting my hands go, I don’t think he’s got the condition to withstand the punishment.”
Jumah, equally confident, said he is the “superior boxer” and thinks Riakporhe will have to return to old habits to beat him.
“I think Richard is still very early in his learning curve. He’s shown a bit more boxing skills over the last two, three fights. But he will have to revert back to his power-punching and offloading heavy shots, going for knockout early in this fight when he finds out I’m the superior boxer. So this is what we expect from him and this is what we know is going to happen.
“I’m the superior boxer for sure and if he wants to offload [power] the way he has done in the past, then I’ve got something for him.”