Richard Riakporhe failed in a world title bid in his lone outing of 2024 thus far, picking up the first defeat of his professional career. Now, his return has been confirmed, but it is set to take place in a bizarre location in just a few weeks’ time.
‘The Midnight Train’ had defeated current WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith prior to their rematch this June and headed into their second encounter as a sizeable favourite, seeking a dream title win at Selhurst Park – the home of his beloved Crystal Palace Football Club.
On top of his previous win over ‘The Gentleman’, Riakporhe was on a streak of five consecutive knockout victories, including an eye-catching stoppage of former world champion Krzysztof Glowacki, which appeared to prove that the Londoner had the ability to be a successful and possibly long-reigning title-holder.
Yet, it was Billam-Smith who was able to spring the upset and retain his WBO crown and did so with relative ease, never really looking in danger in what turned out to be a comfortable unanimous-decision win on away soil.
After underwhelming on the big stage, many have doubted whether Riakporhe truly is world champion material and his abilities have come into question and, with a change clearly needed, Riakporhe has opted to leave trainer Angel Fernandez.
Instead, the 34-year-old has decided to appoint Scotland’s Billy Nelson, trainer of heavyweight bogeyman Martin Bakole, as his lead cornerman and it has now been announced that the pair will fight with one another for the first occasion in three weeks’ time.
However, despite campaigning at cruiserweight and fighting in the United Kingdom throughout his almost eight-year career, Riakporhe will take on David Jamieson in the bridgerweight division as a part of an undercard in Equatorial Guinea, promoted by Boxium Promotions.
✅️Boxium Promotions have announced Richard Riakporhe vs David Jamieson on December 7th in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
The fight will be on the undercard of the WBC Welterweight Eliminator between Souleymane Cissokho and Egidijus Kavaliauskas pic.twitter.com/ycWQWqRNY2
— Tokkerū (@ATokkers5) November 15, 2024
Jamieson famously gave Mikael Lawal a run for his money when they met for the British cruiserweight title in 2022 but was halted by Chev Clarke in a less impressive performance the year that followed.
That all-British bout will appear as a part of an undercard in the African nation that is headlined by a WBC welterweight eliminator involving Souleymane Cissoko and Egidijus Kavaliauskas on December 7th at the Sipopo Congress Center.
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