Okolie and Riakporhe Exchange Heated Words Before Upcoming Bout

The intense rivalry between Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakporhe has been rekindled as they prepare for their highly anticipated all-British heavyweight showdown on April 5.

The match, set to take place at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, will be featured on the undercard of the Dillian Whyte vs Joe Joyce event. This marks the first of three planned events showcasing Queensberry Promotions’ transition from TNT Sports to DAZN.

While the ‘Heavy Impact’ event promises excitement throughout, the clash between Okolie and Riakporhe has the potential to be the highlight of the night.

Okolie, a former world cruiserweight champion with a record of 21-1 (16 KOs), and Riakporhe, boasting a 17-1 (13 KOs) record, have a history of tension. Their rivalry intensified following an unexpected confrontation at the Creed III movie premiere in 2023.

Since then, Okolie has climbed to third in the WBC rankings after a impressive first-round victory last December, solidifying his status as a formidable heavyweight contender. Riakporhe, on the other hand, is yet to compete in the heavyweight division and is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Chris Billam-Smith in June.

Despite this, Riakporhe exuded confidence at the press conference. He humorously remarked about Okolie’s clinching tactics, saying, “I’m afraid of getting a big hug that might suffocate me.”

Okolie fired back, stating, “I’ll handle you effectively, and then you can return to your modeling career or whatever else you do.”

Riakporhe also revealed that he had previously signed to fight Okolie before his world title bout against Billam-Smith. However, his loss last year delayed this much-anticipated matchup until now.

As the fight date approaches, both fighters appear determined to prove their superiority in what promises to be an explosive encounter in the heavyweight division.