Richard Riakporhe has said that he lost interest in an underwhelming display from one of his cruiserweight countrymen.
Lawrence Okolie comfortably dispatched of his WBO mandatory challenger, David Light, in March, claiming a unanimous decision and winning every round on one of the judges cards.
However, despite the ease with which he won, the undefeated Brit still faced criticism for not pushing for a knockout and appearing to settle for a run-of-the-mill victory after a twelve month lay-off.
Although Riakporhe sympathised with ‘The Sauce’ due to his inactivity and the inevitable ring rust that comes with time away from the sport, he was still disappointed with the display.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the world-title hopeful admitted his boredom whilst watching Okolie, and revealed his frustration in a performance which could cause a drop in interest in a future clash between the pair.
“I fell asleep, I was bored, I was frustrated and tired and I was sick and tired, I was literally sick and that’s why I didn’t show up. I wanted to come to the fight but I was in bed, everybody was contacting me on my phone.”
“That actually p***** me off even more because I was expecting something explosive. You have to bear in mind I’m a fan, talking from a fan’s perspective.
“Even though I’m a professional, I’m a fan and I didn’t get my money’s worth even though I didn’t pay for it.”
“The better he performs, the better for me, the more money in my pocket, the more money in his pocket, it makes sense. Hopefully he puts on a better performance next time.”
Okolie is next out against a third domestic cruiserweight contender, Chris Billam-Smith. Okolie will aim to make a fourth consecutive title defence, in his opponent’s hometown of Bournemouth, on May 27.